I need you
by yellowstar
Summary: AndrosAshley. Chapter 13 finally up! Sorry for the wait, hope it's worth it. When Andros realizes that Ashley needs him, can he get to her in time? Can their relationship survive the months apart? Completed!
1. Default Chapter

I need you  
  
At the Surf Spot...  
  
Andros arrived at the Surf Spot and quickly spotted the group he was looking for. Actually he heard the group he was looking for. In the corner of the Surf Spot, his girlfriend and one of their friends were having a heated argument about something. He couldn't tell what but he knew it wasn't serious by the expressions on their faces. He stood and watched for a moment, enjoying the time just to watch her.  
  
When Ashley laughed, her face just lit up, including her beautiful brown eyes. The eyes he found himself staring into every time they were together. He loved hearing her laugh; it sort of just floated above every other sound in the room, calling to him. He hesitated, hating to break up the good times, but knowing he had to. He owed her. Reluctantly Andros made his way silently to the table.  
  
"Ash? Can I talk to you a second?" Ashley started a bit as his voice interrupted her debate with Carlos over which band was better, No Doubt or Linkin Park.  
  
"Sure Andros." she replied, flashing him her bright smile. The other rangers just smiled as Andros pulled his girlfriend away. He led her outside to a bench and sat her down.  
  
"What is it Andros?" She asked quietly. He was nervous and didn't want to look at her. She grabbed his hands to encourage him to speak. "Just tell me." The yellow ranger demanded softly.  
  
"I have to go away Ash." Andros declared with a look of despair on his face.  
  
Ashley's face crumbled at his admission, as tears fell from her eyes. Andros reached out to wipe away her tears, feeling his eyes tear up as well. "I don't want to, but KO-35 needs me." He whispered.  
  
"When?" she whispered back, afraid of the answer. When he replied "Tomorrow." Ashley broke down. Shocked, Andros dropped to the bench next to her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hair. "How long?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't know. No longer than three months I hope." Ashley buried her head in his shoulder as her sobs tore through her body. Andros sat there silently, holding her. "But you just came back." She protested.  
  
"I know. And I wish I could change it, but I can't. KO-35 is still my home." He pleaded with her to understand his point of view.  
  
She understood, but it didn't make her feel better. Finally she got angry. "You could change it. You could just not go. Tell them to find someone else!" She yelled at him.  
  
"Look Ash, I don't want to leave you again. I know three months are a long time for me to ask you to wait for me, and I'll understand if..." Andros began hesitatingly.  
  
Outraged, Ashley stood up. "Don't Andros. I'm not going to break up with you! I've waited forever for you and I'll continue to wait for you for the rest of my life if I have to." She declared angrily. "How could you be so selfish? If you don't want to come back then you have to break up with me!"  
  
"Ash..." Andros reached out to her but she pushed him away and took off past the other rangers who had just come outside to see if everything was ok.  
  
"What happened?" Carlos inquired, watching his best friend take off. Andros didn't hear any of the conversations around him as he watched her run away from him. He could feel his heart breaking; he just didn't know what to do.  
  
Zhane noticed his best friend's tearful, pale face and directed him back to the bench. "What is it Andros?"  
  
Sighing, Andros responded, "I have to go away tomorrow."  
  
"I take it Ashley didn't take it so well." Commented his sister Karone. "No, she didn't. But I don't blame her. I don't know how long I'll be gone, maybe three months." Andros confessed.  
  
"Three months!" Zhane exclaimed. "Andros, do you really have to go? What could be so important?" he demanded of his best friend.  
  
"It's KO-35. They need an ambassador for the alliance." Andros said quietly. "But why you?" Karone questioned her brother. "Who else is going to do it?" He replied defensively.  
  
"But we need you Andros." TJ announced loudly. Before Andros could reply, TJ finished his sentence. "Ashley needs you." The red ranger sighed.  
  
"What did you tell her?" Carlos wondered. "I've never seen her so upset before. It's not just because you're leaving is it?" The black ranger declared with sudden insight.  
  
"Well I told her I didn't expect her to wait for me." Andros said as the other rangers just stared at him in shock.  
  
"You said what?" shrieked Cassie. "Why did you do that for?" She shouted at him as she smacked him on the head.  
  
"Calm down Cassie." TJ said, the blue ranger looking towards Andros for some sort of explanation as he restrained the furious pink ranger.  
  
"I don't know. I didn't know when I was coming back, and I didn't want her to be tied down." He admitted, but stopped noticing the look of shock on their faces. "I thought she would be better off. "Andros finished quietly as he slumped against the table.  
  
Carlos decided to take pity on the red ranger. "Better off?" He questioned incredulously. "Andros, I've never seen Ashley so happy as when she's with you or more miserable without you." He scolded his teammate. 'This is not happening.' Carlos thought miserably as he waited for Andros to respond. He couldn't bear to watch his best friend go through this again.  
  
It seemed like eternity before Andros spoke. Andros just looked up at him. "So what should I do?" He whispered, completely clueless.  
  
Zhane smiled as he put his arm around his distraught friend. "Lucky for you I'm around. You go find Ashley and make out with her..." He informed him with a sly look on his face.  
  
"Um, Zhane, don't you mean make up?" Cassie giggled at his slip up.  
  
Zhane just smirked in reply. "I know what I meant Cassie. Anyway, Andros go find her and change and go up to the simudeck at 7pm." As Andros departed, Zhane filled in the rest of the team with his brilliant plan.  
  
Andros took off in search of Ashley. Thinking a minute, he decided he knew where she went. It was where she always went when she was upset. He headed towards Angel Grove Park to a set of swings and was not surprised when he saw the brunette sitting on the swing, her feet dragging slowly through the dirt.  
  
He walked up behind her and placed his hands over hers on the chains. She looked up at him and met his hazel eyes with her teary brown eyes. He slowly made his way to the front of her swing and knelt down in front of her and gently removed her hands from the chains and grasped them tightly in his.  
  
"I'm sorry Ash." He stated simply as he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "I don't want to lose you. I just want you to be happy." Andros moved one of his hands to wipe away the tears that gathered in her eyes.  
  
"You make me happy Andros." She said quietly, a small smile playing on her lips. And she knew it was true. No matter how many times he had to leave, she knew she could never leave him. He was her soul mate, her one true love. Nothing could change that. But lately, she was beginning to wonder. Every time it came time for him to leave, it brought her more doubts. Maybe the next three months would actually be good for them; it would give her time to think about things. Could she really handle a life with Andros leaving every so often and for months at a time? What about a family?  
  
He took that moment to lean in and kiss her lips deeply, shaking her away from her straying thoughts. She decided to enjoy their last night together. Sighing, Ashley managed to free one hand and placed it on his cheek, and he took his freehand and wrapped it around her keeping her close. They stayed that way, content in their embrace for a few minutes.  
  
"Ash, will you go to the simudeck with me?" Andros invited as he stood up from the ground and pulled her off the swing.  
  
"I'd love to." She replied smiling, her hand tightly wrapped in his and they teleported back to the ship. Andros dropped her off at her room, giving her a quick kiss. "See you in an hour." He commented with a smile watching her door close, knowing the next few hours with Ashley were precious.  
  
"So did you make out with her?" Zhane called from where he was sprawled out on his bed, waiting for Andros.  
  
"Zhane." Andros sighed exasperated, but not revealing anything. "She did agree to go to the simudeck with me."  
  
"Good enough. Here's the plan." Zhane described as he jumped off the bed. "We programmed dinner and dancing. And then you should take her back here and watch a movie or something." Zhane finished giving Andros a knowing look.  
  
"What do you mean by or something?" The red ranger demanded, a blush coming over him.  
  
"Andros, I know you're not really that dense. Listen you love Ashley and she loves you right?" Without bothering for a response he continued. "So what's the big deal?" he asked as they sorted through Andros's closet for something to wear.  
  
"The big deal," Andros interrupted, "is that I'm leaving tomorrow. I don't want it to be like a one night stand." He argued with his carefree best friend. "She deserves better than that."  
  
"Well she deserves better than you leaving her every few months too." Zhane rebuked his best friend. That statement shocked Andros to the core. "What if she leaves me?" he whispered.  
  
"You better make sure she doesn't then. It's your decision whether or not she'll leave you Andros." He advised the somber boy. He watched as his best friend weighed the options in his head.  
  
"At least leave the opportunity open all right?" Zhane continued on persistently until Andros relented. "I'll think about it okay?" Finally he managed to get the red ranger into the shower while he put together an outfit.  
  
'Stubborn fool.' He muttered as he plucked out a red shirt from the closet. Zhane knew they two of them had been dating for a while now, and he couldn't understand why they hadn't had sex yet. He had picked up from his fellow teammates that on earth, it was relatively custom to wait until marriage, but his carefree lifestyle rebelled against that idea. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? He learned to live for the moment and enjoy life to the fullest. As long as Andros and Ashley were happy though, he had no reason to interfere. But now, how could they be happy when they spent more time apart then together. Zhane wondered what it would take for them to realize how much they needed each other. Whether they realized it or not, they depended on each other for so much.  
  
"I think you should wear this dress Ash." Cassie declared, picking out Ashley's new golden dress from her closet.  
  
"Are you sure Cass? You don't think it's too revealing? We both know how Andros can be." Ashley said uncertainly. 'I know how Andros can be. He doesn't mind being affectionate, but anything more than kissing and he gets all flustered. I don't want to push him away.' Cassie watched the conflicting emotions run across Ashley's face and knew her friend was deep in thought. She realized it was a big decision for them, but really, what were they waiting for?  
  
"Yeah," Cassie conceded. "But maybe he needs to be pushed a little." She said as if reading Ashley's thoughts. "I think Andros will love it. And if you don't wear it for him, who else are you going to wear it for?" She argued. Cassie shoved the dress towards her friend and waited for her to put it on.  
  
Ashley smiled. She agreed with Cassie, Andros would love this dress. She quickly removed her jeans and shirt and slipped on the short gold dress.  
  
"Wow! It looks great Ashley." Cassie exclaimed as Ashley spun around happily in her dress. "Andros won't be able to resist you!" She added mischievously, winking to make sure Ashley got her hint. To her credit Ashley understand Cassie's hidden meaning, blushing at the implication.  
  
"Maybe I shouldn't wear it." Ashley mumbled, her good mood destroyed. "He's leaving tomorrow and I don't want to make things more complicated than they already are."  
  
"But you love him and he loves you Ash. It's no big deal. Now you're wearing that dress and that's final." The pink ranger persuaded her. "Now sit. Let's fix your hair." She decided firmly, changing subjects and watching Ashley relax again.  
  
A little before 7 o'clock Andros left his room to go up to the simudeck and wait for Ashley. He was wearing a nice pair of black pants and a deep red dress shirt as he glanced at the atmosphere around him. Zhane and his sister had done a great job decorating and picking a restaurant. It would definitely be a night to remember. He couldn't help but dwell on the conversation he had with Zhane as he waited for Ashley to arrive. He wondered if he could actually go through with the plan when he heard the doors open. He turned around to see Ashley standing in the doorway with a smile on her face as she took in their surroundings.  
  
He took that moment to gaze at her. She looked amazing, he thought. That dress. It was going to distract him all night. It was a shiny gold dress that sparkled in the light and clung to her every curve, revealing cleavage and an open back and stopping above her knees.  
  
"Ashley." He whispered as he made his way over to her. "You look incredible. Your dress, it's amazing." He declared in awe as he pulled her into his arms.  
  
"You look great too." Ashley complimented as she allowed her arms to go around his neck. They stayed there for a minute, looking at each other before deciding to sit down and eat dinner. They relaxed over dinner, enjoying each other's company and not dwelling on tomorrow.  
  
"Would you like to dance?" Andros asked, holding out his hand to Ashley. "Sure." She replied, accepting his hand as he pulled her out onto the dance floor. A Leann Rimes song played over the radio.  
  
"I need you like water  
  
Like breath, like rain  
  
I need you like mercy  
  
From Heaven's gate  
  
There's a freedom in your arms  
  
That carries me through  
  
I need you"  
  
They started swaying gently before Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck and Andros placed his hands lightly on her bare back, enjoying that sensation. Ashley was buried in Andros's neck and was pleased when she was rewarded by Andros lightly caressing her back, causing her to lean in closer to him, pressing her body into him.  
  
Andros kissed Ashley's temple gently before pulling away in order to kiss his way to her lips. A small sigh escaped her mouth as he made his way to her lips. She returned his kiss with an intense passion that surprised them both.  
  
Before she could apologize though, he captured her mouth again and they both stood there until they needed to breathe. Ashley laid her head on his shoulder as she ran her fingers through his hair. Andros was having trouble concentrating with Ashley pressed up against him like this. His heart was pounding so much he thought he might explode.  
  
"Ash?" Andros whispered even though no one could hear him. "Do you, would you like to go watch a movie or something in my room?" he asked, a bit nervous and a bit embarrassed.  
  
Ashley pulled away from him and nodded, not trusting her words to convey what she was feeling. Relieved, Andros pulled Ashley out of the simudeck and downstairs to his quarters.  
  
They walked into Andros's room. He was afraid to go through with his plan. Second thoughts plagued him. "Do you want to watch something?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't, but wanting to give her an out option. He wasn't sure how to make the first move and was afraid she wasn't ready.  
  
"Actually, "Ashley started as she walked up to the red ranger and threw her arms around him. "I was hoping to find out what that or something was." She whispered into his ear.  
  
The feel of her warm breath in his ear caused Andros to tighten his grip on her, pulling her closer to him.  
  
Ashley could stay there forever just staring and getting lost in his eyes. Feeling his anxiety, she took Cassie's advice and made the first move, by kissing along his jaw line.  
  
Eventually he began to relax as his fingers traced her spine gently at first, then more firmly as he kept her pressed to him and she kissed her way to his lips.  
  
Andros looked down and the longing mirrored in Ashley's eyes and all his fear and doubts disappeared. He gazed intently at her for a minute, and then smiling swooped the yellow ranger off her feet, holding her tightly to him and kissing her before placing her on his bed.  
  
"Are you sure Ash?" Andros asked one last time, knowing once they started he wouldn't be able to hold back. Ashley's response was to grab his face and kiss him passionately and hard.  
  
"I guess so." He murmured to himself, kissing her back, glad she had made the first move. He turned off every other instinct other than the one that allowed him to get lost in her touch and lose himself in the moment. There was no rational thought that could persuade him to stop now even if he wanted to. At that moment Ashley's lips reclaimed his and his only thoughts were filled with her. 


	2. Think of Me

Chapter 2: Think of Me  
  
When Andros woke up the next morning, he looked over to see Ashley curled up besides him, her hair all over and her arms peeking out from the covers. Moving closer to her, Andros stared at her as he let his fingers caress her arm as his thoughts began to wonder.  
  
"How did you ever get me to love again?" he thought with a smile. "I thought it was impossible, but the moment I saw you on the bridge I knew I was lost. I was afraid that if I loved you I'd lose you too. You tell me that you need me but I need you more. I can't imagine life without you anymore." Andros sighed. "And someday I'll be able to tell you that." He leaned in to kiss her neck.  
  
Stirring, Ashley opened her eyes to see Andros watching her. "Good morning." She said lazily, as she stretched. Andros just grinned and rolled over on top of her. "Good morning." He replied as he began kissing her and Ashley was quickly fully awake. "Mmm." She murmured as she gave herself up to his touch.  
  
A few minutes later they were interrupted by Deca's alarm and Ashley sighed as she pulled herself out his arms. "I have to get up for school and you have to get up and leave." She said sadly as she sat up in the bed. Andros sat up with her. "I love you Ash, I'll be back as soon as I can." He brushed her hair away from her face so he could gaze at her face more clearly. He knew the words sounded empty even as he said them, but he didn't know what else to say. He used his actions to say what his words could not by pulled her back in and kissing her desperately.  
  
Ashley nodded as she got out of bed and proceeded to get her clothes on. "I'll see you at breakfast." She stated giving him a kiss. Turning at the door Ashley looked into his eyes. "Thank you for last night Andros, it was incredible." She left before he could reply.  
  
"No thank you Ash." He whispered as the door closed shut behind her. He sat there alone for a few minutes, overwhelmed with the sudden lonleniss he felt and wondered why he had to leave at all.  
  
Andros shared breakfast with the whole team but pulled Ashley aside before she went to school. "I'll see you soon Ash." Andros told her truthfully, knowing he would miss her the minute she disappeared again.  
  
"I know." She responded with tears in her eyes. "I just wish you didn't have to go."  
  
"Me either." He agreed kissing the top of her head. Reluctantly he pulled away. "You're going to be late." Ashley leaned back in to touch his cheek and give him a gently kiss goodbye, leaving her hand on his cheek briefly before pulling away. "Think of me."  
  
Andros nodded. "Always." He promised softly. Ashley gave a little wave before she was transported to school.  
  
"There she is." TJ announced, spotting Ashley as she teleported to the park after school. "She did come after all," said a relieved Karone as the yellow ranger approached her friends. None of the rangers were sure how Ashley would react to another of Andros's absence.  
  
"Hey Ash!" greeted Cassie as Ashley sat down on the blanket next to her. "Hey." Replied Ashley softly as she laid down and closed her eyes, trying to put the long day behind her.  
  
"So what did you think of Carlson's assignment?" Carlos asked Ashley, trying to start an innocent conversation.  
  
"What? He gave us an assignment?" She responded in confusion as her eyes flew open to look at the black ranger. Carlos laughed at her startled expression. "Were you paying attention at all Ash?" he teased his best friend.  
  
"No. Not really." Ashley admitted as a wistful look appeared on her face. Zhane took the attention off of her by suggesting a game of volleyball. Shooting him a grateful look, Ashley was the first one on the court, and the rest of the afternoon was spent in the sun.  
  
Karone knocked on the yellow ranger's door. "Come in." Ashley called from inside. Karone opened the door to see her lying on her bed playing with Andros's telekinesis ball. "The rest of us are going to see a movie. Do you want to come?" She asked her friend, hoping to keep her mind off her brother.  
  
"No thanks Karone. I feel like being alone right now." Ashley responded softly, pushing the ball away form her and towards the wall. She didn't notice when Karone left. Letting the ball hit the ground Ashley got up out of bed and sat down at her desk. Glancing at the picture of her and Andros from the Homecoming Dance, she grabbed her journal and began to release her feelings.  
  
Journal Entry:  
Andros hasn't even been gone a day yet and it already feels like three months. How am I supposed to get through this if I have to feel this way every day for the next three months? I don't suppose Alpha could put me in a coma?  
  
She paused from her writing as she rememberd last night. 'I don't regret it but it makes me miss him even more, if that's possible.' She took advantage of the solitude on the mega ship and replayed the cd her and Andros had played last night over dinner.  
  
"I don't need a lot of things,  
  
I can get by with nothing  
  
Of all the blessings life can bring,  
  
I've always needed something  
  
But I've got all I want  
  
When it comes to loving you  
  
You're my only reason,  
  
You're my only truth"  
  
The soft music lulled her to an uneasy sleep, her head lying on her desk as exhaustion finally took over.  
  
"Is she coming?" Cassie quizzed the purple ranger the instant Karone walked onto the bridge.  
  
"No. She said she wanted to be alone. "Karone announced to the other rangers.  
  
"Maybe one of us should stay here in case she needs us-"Carlos said worriedly, looking back at the closed door of the yellow ranger.  
  
TJ touched the black ranger's arm."She'll be okay Carlos, let's go." TJ decided finally, sensing that Ashley just needed some time to sort everything out alone.  
  
Later that night, with all the other rangers gone, Ashley crept out of her room and up to the observatory. Sitting down in a chair, she curled herself up under her blanket and looked out at the stars. Finding the one she was looking for, she thought of Andros. "Are you thinking of me too?" She wondered as her eyes closed and she was finally able to go to sleep.  
  
Andros put down his notes for the conference meeting the next morning and went for a walk outside to sort out his thoughts and emotions. He glanced up at the sky and smiled when he saw the stars and picked out the one he had shown Ashley the night before. He wondered what she was up to and the promise he had made that morning to think of her. She was the only thing he was thinking about. It had only been a day and already he missed her like crazy. Her smile and the way she made him laugh, he didn't know if he could make it for three months without her. But they need me, he convinced himself. Ashley is a ranger and she has the others to look after her, he thought logically. But emotionally he wished he were back on the mega ship right now. This last time leaving her was definitely the hardest. He had no regrets about last night; he simply wished it could last forever. He regretted having to wake up and face saying goodbye to her. Dreaming about Ashley was not going to get him back faster, so with a sigh, he returned to reading intergalactic news. 


	3. Mallathon

Chapter 3: Mallathon  
  
A few days later, the other rangers started noticing Ashley was acting strange. "She looks tired all the time." Commented Cassie as the group sat around the lunch table. Ashley had skipped lunch to finish her project for Mr. Carlson.  
  
"Give her some time. Andros only left a few days ago." Karone encouraged her teammates. "I know she has changed Andros a lot, but I think he's had an effect on her as well." Her observation surprised them, but as they thought about it they realized the purple ranger was right.  
  
Carlos saw a more committed and secure Ashley now then before she started dating Andros. She still had her carefree spirit, she could never lose that, but she seemed to have grown as a person. 'I suppose being in an intense relationship can do that to a person.' The greatest factor in his mind of her growth was the impact she had on Andros. If there ever was a person more lost than he, Carlos had yet to find them.  
  
"Well where is she?" Carlos demanded. "It's 7pm. I'm worried." His statement broke up the casual conversations that flowed around him during dinner.  
  
"Did she tell any of you where she was going?" Zhane queried his teammates.  
  
"I haven't seen her all day." Cassie admitted as she brought her tray back to the synthetron. Truth be told, she hadn't seen anyone all day, and now she felt guilty for isolating herself. Especially when her best friend needed her. Ashley had always been there for her when she found herself missing Saryn.  
  
"Maybe we should go look for her." TJ suggested impatiently. Before they could move, a figure appeared right in front of their eyes, loaded down with shoeboxes, and myriads of shopping bags.  
  
"Ashley?" called Zhane as he gathered some of the bags from her arms. He had not been around long enough to witness either one of Ashley or Cassie's shopping sprees.  
  
"So that's where you were!" exclaimed Cassie. "You were having a mallathon." She stated, as if that explained everything. A mallathon was a term the two female rangers used to describe an intense period of shipping. It was usually preceded by an incredibly stressful or emotional event.  
  
"Didn't know I needed your permission." Ashley remarked a bit harshly as she placed the rest of her purchases on the floor.  
  
"Why didn't you ask any of us to go with you?" TJ inquired of his yellow teammate.  
  
"Because I know how much you guys hate the mall. And besides, I didn't want to bother you." She replied quietly. "Not to mention the fact that you would try to distract me from thinking about Andros, and I don't want to not think about him." She admonished them gently.  
  
The boys looked a bit sheepish at Ashley's confession. They avoided the girl's mallathons like the plague, but it did upset them that Ashley hadn't even asked. She was usually a very cheerful person who enjoyed being around other people. But on rare occasions when she sought solitude, it was pretty serious. And Carlos was upset that none of them had noticed.  
  
Zhane helped her get her purchases to her room and returned to the holding bay to rejoin the conversation.  
  
"I'd say we've left her alone for too long." Carlos declared. "Ash is going to need our support while Andros is gone."  
  
"Even if it means going on a mallathon?" TJ kidded.  
  
"If that's what it takes Teej. I'm afraid so." Carlos finished seriously. TJ put his hand over his heart. "I hope it doesn't come down to that. I don't know if I could do it."  
  
Zhane agreed wholeheartedly. "You're right Carlos. We can't let Ashley get depressed."  
  
"Well then we better do a better job of keeping our eyes on her so she doesn't just disappear on us again." Suggested Cassie.  
  
"And we should stop trying to make her forget about Andros." Karone commented honestly. They all agreed as they realized that wasn't going to happen.  
  
Ashley knew her teammates were worried about her but she couldn't help it. She missed Andros so much it hurt at times. The awful longing in her soul, her heart aching to hold him and be held in return. Sighing, she set her sights on the bags that now filled her room and set out to put all her purchases away.  
  
The other rangers didn't let Ashley out of their sight for long, always distracting her by taking her to the park, the Surf Spot, or the movies. Ashley appreciated their efforts but everything reminded her of Andros anyway. As days passed the pain, the separation grew less, but the pain of longing continued to grow.  
  
After another uneventful day of school, Ashley found herself in the observatory staring at the stars.  
  
"Ash?" Zhane called from the doorway. "It's getting late. Shouldn't you go to sleep, you've got school tomorrow." He gently reminded her.  
  
Ashley giggled silently, she knew what Zhane was doing, keeping tabs on her. She thought it more sweet than irritating though. "Don't worry about me Zhane." She said as she snuggled in deeper into the chair.  
  
"Well, what are you looking at?" Zhane asked as he seated himself in the chair next to hers, when he sensed she wasn't going to leave.  
  
"See that bright star over there on the right?" She pointed to a bright star. Zhane nodded. "Andros told me that it is our star. And every time I look at it, to know that he's thinking of me, and when he looks at it, he'll know I'm thinking of him." Ashley answered, a soft look of longing on her face.  
  
Zhane smiled at the expression on her face. "He'll be back soon." He promised.  
  
"How do you know?" Ashley wondered curiously, a hopeful expression on her face that removed any clever comments from his lips.  
  
"How could he not? He's got you back here waiting for him. And that's more important to him than anything else in the world." Zhane replied seriously, smiling when her eyes lit up and she flashed him her world famous smile. They sat there in silence staring out at the stars. Zhane turned to Ashley but discovered she had fallen asleep with a peaceful look on her face. He was relieved to see some of the tension and anxiety ease away. He pulled the blanket over her and returned to his own quarters.  
  
'You're a lucky guy, Andros.' Zhane thought to himself as he left the sleeping beauty behind. He chuckled at his train of thought, at how their roles had been reversed. Andros was the one usually jealous of Zhane's relationships, and now he was the one envious of the stable and confident relationship that Ashley and Andros shared. They made him believe in true love again. 


	4. Two Months

Chapter 4: Two months  
  
"Ashley?" Mrs. Peterson's voice broke through Ashley's thoughts. She blinked as her eyes opened to see her favorite teacher standing in front of her watching her with concern. She glanced around and noted that the classroom was empty.  
  
"Are you okay?" The teacher questioned her. "It's not like you to sleep through design class." She commented as she leaned over to speak to the tired girl.  
  
"Oh no!" Ashley exclaimed apologetically. "I am so sorry Mrs. Peterson. It won't happen again." Ashley promised as she rushed to get her things together to make her next class.  
  
"I know Ashley." She replied gently to reassure her favorite student. "Why don't you just go home early? You look like some rest might do you some good."  
  
Ashley debated but finally gave in. If she fell asleep in her favorite class and at 9 am, there would be no way she would make it through chemistry after lunch. "Maybe I'll do that. Thanks Mrs. P." Ashley said as she took off for the main office to sign herself out. Quickly fleeing the school grounds she teleported herself directly to her room where she collapsed exhausted on her bed.  
  
"Where's Ashley?" TJ asked, scanning the cafeteria for their teammate and he and Carlos found the others waiting for them at a nearby table.  
  
Ashley's friend Meghan overheard TJ and answered him. "She signed herself out and went home early. She fell asleep during design class so Mrs. Peterson told her to go and get some rest." She announced before taking off to sit with her friends.  
  
"It's not like Ashley to fall asleep in class, especially not design class." TJ noted with concerned interest.  
  
"I hope she's not coming down with something." Carlos added, himself worried.  
  
"I know. We're already down one ranger." Cassie whispered anxiously.  
  
"Our luck's not going to hold out forever. Dark Spectre has been too quiet if you ask me." Karone opined with the authority of one who knew what their archenemy was capable of.  
  
"Do you think we should tell Andros?" Zhane questioned the team. The others thought for a moment before Karone answered.  
  
"It will only worry him, Zhane. Let's wait and see if she gets over this. Maybe she's just tired." Zhane nodded and the group returned to eating their lunches but with worried thoughts about their teammate in all their heads. They didn't see her the rest of the day as Ashley slept through to the next morning.  
  
A few days later....  
  
"What is wrong with me?" Ashley moaned as she ran to the bathroom and threw up for the fourth day in a row. "I feel terrible, but I can't miss anymore school." She sat down on the cool floor and was relieved when the sickness passed quickly and she resumed getting ready for school.  
  
"I can't believe it's been two months already." Karone shook her head in disbelief as she sat down with the blue ranger to eat.  
  
"It certainly doesn't feel like Andros has been gone that long." TJ agreed, buttering his toast as the others quickly filled in around them.  
  
Ashley joined the others at the breakfast table. "It does to me." She responded sadly, joining their conversation. One look at her plate and she quickly lost her appetite for her eggs and bacon. She closed her eyes hoping the nauseous feeling would pass.  
  
"Are you feeling okay, Ash?" Carlos asked concerned for the yellow ranger, who was pale and quiet, while pushing her food around her plate. This had become routine to her the last few days, her appetite came and went, as she felt tired a lot. A fact that had not gone unnoticed by the other rangers.  
  
The other rangers exchanged worried looks. But before Ashley could reply, Deca interrupted their breakfast. "Rangers, there has been an attack in Down town Angel Grove."  
  
"Great." Complained Carlos. "How many mornings in a row have we missed breakfast?"  
  
"Well, if we hurry, maybe we won't miss lunch too." Zhane said in frustration, as they all rushed to their gliding tubes.  
  
Ashley landed on the ground, feeling a bit dizzy, but not sure if it was from being sick or the traveling through space. Shaking her head to clear it, she thought 'I wish you were here Andros. I need you.' Before turning to fight some knuckle-brained quantrons.  
  
"AAHH!" Ashley yelled as she received a sharp kick to the stomach. She dropped to the ground, holding her stomach. 'What's wrong with me? I've never felt this bad in a fight.' She complained to herself, feeling the tears run down her face.  
  
Carlos ran over to help her up. "Are you alright Ash?" He asked compassionately. Shaking off the pain, Ashley replied, "I'm fine Carlos. We got to help the others." She quickly took off to defend the other rangers, who were having a tough time with the loads of quantrons in their area.  
  
Running up to where TJ and Cassie were lying on the ground, Ashley charged the quantrons that were bearing down on her friends. "Star Slinger!" Screamed the yellow ranger as she slashed her way through the crowd of quantrons.  
  
"ASHLEY! LOOK OUT!" Zhane shouted from across the street. Ashley turned and was scorched by a quantron's sword that cut across her stomach as she slumped to the ground. Zhane was at her side in an instant, running faster than he ever had run before. TJ and Cassie regained their strength and joined up with Carlos and Karone to fight off the quantrons, while Zhane attended to Ashley.  
  
Immediately after hitting the ground, Ashley went unconscious. "Ash, wake up. Come on." Zhane pleaded the prone girl lying on the street. He removed her helmet, pulling her into his lap. A loud groan escaped her lips as her eyes fluttered open. She stared up at him, pain filling her eyes as she struggled to remain awake.  
  
"Is she ok?" Cassie asked worriedly as she and the other three rangers unmorphed and raced over to Zhane and Ashley.  
  
"I don't know." Zhane confessed, completely at a loss as to help her. He had never seen anyone in this bad shape before. "We should get her to the medical bay." TJ decided firmly.  
  
"NO!" Ashley cried out weakly as her arm wrapped around her stomach. "You're hurt Ash, you gotta go." Carlos declared forcefully as he helped Zhane to help her to a sitting position.  
  
"Ow!" Ashley complained as she shifted positions. "I know Carlos, but I think I need to go to the hospital." Her quiet admission scared the other rangers. Cassie stood still in shock as TJ weighed the options.  
  
"Alright Ash. Let's go to the hospital." Declared the solemn blue ranger, trusting her judgment. "Zhane, power her down." He commanded the silver ranger. Zhane obeyed, punching in the code to her morpher. Ashley began losing consciousness immediately as her suit faded and the power left her.  
  
"Oh my god!" Karone gasped as she saw all the blood covering Ashley's body. "That's not supposed to happen is it?" She got her answer when she saw the absolute shocked looks on her teammates.  
  
"Well, let's get her out of here." Zhane said, shaking his teammates out of their shock and into action as they rushed her into the hospital. 


	5. Complications

Chapter 5: Complications  
  
"Somebody should call Andros." Cassie said wearily from her position on the hospital waiting room couch. Before Zhane could move, Karone stood up. "I'll do it."  
  
"You don't have to Karone-"Zhane began but Karone interrupted him to disagree. "I know. But Ashley needs you to be here." She finished knowingly. "Besides Andros won't kill me for calling him so early." She gave him a small smile as she took off down the corridor to find a secluded place to contact her brother.  
  
Karone took a deep breath before opening her communicator. How was she ever going to explain this to him? She couldn't even explain it to herself or anyone else. Reluctantly she punched in the codes to her brother's morpher and waited for him to pick up. IT seemed like an eternity to Karone the few instants she had to wait to hear his voice.  
  
"Hello?" A groggy voice answered. "Andros?" His sister questioned to make sure.  
  
"Who else would be answering my morpher?" Andros replied a bit amused but mostly slightly irritated at the timing of her call. Leave it to his sister to want to have a long chat in the middle of the night, he thought. When she didn't start talking right away, he knew something was wrong.  
  
"What happened Karone? What's wrong?" His kind questions caused Karone to erupt in tears. He waited patiently for her to explain her tears. "It's Ashley." Those two words struck fear straight to the core of Andros's heart. "What's Ashley?" He asked, not wanting to know the horrible truth.  
  
"She's in the hospital. We were attacked this morning, and she got cut really bad. I've never seen so much blood in my life Andros."  
  
"Oh my god Ashley." Andros finally said as his sister's words sunk in. She was hurt badly and he wasn't there to protect her to comfort her. He only hoped she would recover as he promised himself that he would quit the stupid alliance and get back to the love of his life. Why did he ever leave her in the first place? And how could he have believed she didn't need him? Karone spoke for a few more minutes, but he didn't hear her as his thoughts were consumed by Ashley.  
  
"She's going to be okay, isn't she?" Justin Steward asked breaking the fragile silence, as he paced back and forth across the small room, crowded with rangers.  
  
"Of course she is. She's a fighter." Carlos reassured them all more optimistic than he felt as he continued to watch the former blue ranger pacing.  
  
"I've never seen anyone lose that much blood before." Zhane admitted. Anyone being a ranger. Zhane frowned. What was he going to tell Andros if Ashley didn't make it? He was caught up in his own thoughts he didn't hear when Karone returned or when the doctor came into the waiting room.  
  
"She's a tough young lady. There were a couple of broken ribs, and a sprained knee. There was a lot of blood lost, but she receiving transfusions right now. Luckily there was no internal damage. She'll have to remain in bed for three to four days. I'm going to keep her overnight, and then she can go home tomorrow." The doctor informed the restless group.  
  
"Thank god." TJ exclaimed, feeling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.  
  
"Can we see her?" Cassie asked. "Sure go ahead, but only for a few minutes." The doctor said as he ushered them down the hall to where the yellow ranger was lying still on her bed facing the window.  
  
"Hey Ash! You gave us a real good scare today." Carlos commented lightly, taking a seat next to her bed as the other rangers filled in around her. Ashley turned to look at them listlessly. If he only knew how much, she thought as she flashed back to the conversation she had with the doctor only a few minutes prior.  
  
"Well Ashley. You are doing really well for someone who lost a lot of blood. And lucky for you it didn't affect the baby at all." The doctor informed her as he signed her medical chart.  
  
"Baby?" whispered Ashley incredulously. The look of shock on her face caused the doctor to stop his evaluation to sit and talk with her."  
  
"Yeah. You're going to have a baby. Your blood test shows you're about 8 weeks along, or two months." He replied kindly. Ashley's eyes filled with tears as the truth hit her like a ton of bricks. If she had thought everything was complicated before...  
  
"Ashley?" Cassie wondered as she looked at her friend, trying to get her attention. "The doctor says you can leave tomorrow." Ashley still didn't respond.  
  
"Well, we'll all come by and pick you up in the morning." TJ said as he ushered the other rangers out of her room except for Zhane who was staying the night for protection.  
  
Zhane sat at her bedside watching over her as the medicine kicked in and allowed her to rest. "How did this happen?" He wondered to himself. They had been in worse predicaments before without anyone being hurt as badly as Ashley had been. And all that blood. Something wasn't right. He grabbed her hand and held it, hoping she would recover quickly. "You're going to be fine Ash." Zhane murmured, to encourage himself as much as her. "You have to be." A single tear escaped as he kept watch over the yellow ranger who had become a close friend to him in just a few short months. He shuddered to think what would happen to his best friend if she didn't.  
  
"Something is not right. I didn't think a ranger could bleed like that." TJ said puzzled. He was pacing the bridge with the other rangers, knowing none of them would sleep until Ashley was back with them on the mega ship.  
  
"It is very uncommon, but not impossible for it to happen." Deca informed the rangers. Cassie thought about the incident. "Perhaps Andros's absence has upset her more than we know." She theorized, looking for any reason to explain away the severity of her injury. If there was no good reason, and evil getting stronger wasn't a good reason either, then the next time one of them could be as badly injured, or worse injured fatally. They had all thought they were pretty invincible but Ashley's condition shook them all to the core.  
  
Deca responded to Cassie's unspoken question. "A person under a lot of stress is more vulnerable to injury and illness." But TJ was skeptical. "I don't know," he said as he continued his pacing. "It just doesn't make sense." He said frustrated.  
  
Carlos turned to the purple ranger. "Did you get a hold of Andros, Karone?" "Yeah, he was really upset. I know he feels guilty for leaving but he said he should be done there and hopefully be home by the weekend." Karone informed her teammates.  
  
"Good thing. Ashley really needs him." Carlos stated honestly.  
  
"Seriously. I'm not letting him go away again." TJ stated firmly. "Too bad it's not your decision Teej." Cassie replied with a laugh.  
  
"I know." TJ sighed in resignation. "I just wish he would stop leaving her." He hated seeing his normally carefree teammate so reserved and sad.  
  
The next twelve hours went by terribly slow as they waited until they could bring Ashley home. 


	6. Frustrations

Chapter 6: Frustrations  
  
Ashley woke up the next morning feeling more alert than she had in a few weeks. The medicine had helped her rest and she was looking forward to going back to the mega ship. Her friends were waiting for her when she was wheeled out of the hospital and they quickly teleported to the medical bay in the mega ship.  
  
Ashley laughed as she looked around the medical bay. "Thanks guys." She murmured in appreciation. The other rangers had filled it with balloons and flowers and things form her room to make it more comfortable.  
  
"Well we know how much you hate this place, so we decided to liven it up a little." Carlos declared as he helped Ashley unto the bed. "Now remember what the doctor said, you are to stay in bed for three or four days. Got it?" Carlos reminded her sternly.  
  
"Yes sir." Ashley saluted her best friends. They all laughed before leaving to do some repairs in the engine room.  
  
Zhane paused until he was the only one left. "If you need anything-"He called from the doorway.  
  
"I know. I'll call Deca." Ashley answered as the silver ranger left with a smile.  
  
As she sat in silence, comprehension set in about the attack and her body and her injuries. 'What am I going to do?' She wondered for the millionth times since she had found out about the baby 24 hours earlier. Grabbing her journal from the table, she opened it and started to write.  
  
Journal Entry:  
  
Today begins my 72-hour exile in bed. I have nothing to do but think about what I should do. I'm only 18 years old, I never imagined that the first time I had sex I would get pregnant or that the father would be out traveling the universe and I can't get a hold of him. Definitely not on my to do list before my 19th birthday. If I have this child, what about college? What if Andros doesn't want to have a baby? What if my dad won't help me? Should I give it for adoption? I don't know if I could be a single mom. I can't even remember my own mom, what do I know about raising a childe? I'm so scared. And after yesterday's attacks, I know I can't be a power ranger if I have this child. Where will I go? What will I do? What will the others say? I want to tell them, but what would Zhane and Karone think? I have to tell Andros first. But when is he coming back? My most fearful thought is, what if he stops loving me? My worst thought is what if someone tries to use me and the baby to hurt Andros? I could bear it somehow if he stopped loving me, then he would at least be alive, and there would be hope. But if he died, it would be like part of me dying too. And then every time I see our child I would be reminded of him. I can't tell anyone, I cannot risk the wrong people finding out.  
  
Ashley puts her journal down as she is now sobbing in earnest, missing Andros and worried about how to take care of herself and this child. Alpha gave Ashley her medicine and she eventually fell asleep. She was still sleeping when the other rangers finished the repairs and came to check on her.  
  
"She's asleep." Karone announced after sneaking into the medical bay to check on their teammate.  
  
"This enforced break may just be what Ashley needs. She's been running herself ragged these last past few weeks." TJ said as he sat down to eat with the other rangers.  
  
"I don't know Teej. It might give her too much time to think." Cassie admitted. "I mean she's probably kept herself busy to distract her from missing Andros." She observed.  
  
"I wish Andros would get back soon." Zhane confessed in a moment of rare seriousness. "I don't know what to do for her." As Andros's best friend, he felt it was his duty to watch over Ashley.  
  
"Just be there for her Zhane. That's all you can do. That's all we can do." Karone encouraged her boyfriend. The room fell silent as they thought about Ashley and their absent red ranger.  
  
Three days later Ashley was released from the medical bay. "You should still take it easy." Alpha reminded her. Her ribs were healing but she still had a slight limp when she walked, but the knowledge of the baby she carried was reminder enough to make her take it easy. She spent the day alone as the other rangers went to school. Ashley made her way to the bridge and collapsed into Andros's chair.  
  
"I wonder what you're up to?" she thought sadly as she watched the galaxies flash by through the main screen. "The ship seems so empty without you Andros. "She whispered, knowing he couldn't hear her, but wishing that he could.  
  
She was still there hours later when the other rangers returned from school. "She must have spent too much time with Andros." Carlos joked as he pointed to the brunette slumped in the chair. They all remembered the moody red ranger who used to sit in his chair hours at a time.  
  
TJ grinned at his joke before coming to a realization. "She needs to get off the ship."  
  
"What are you talking about TJ?" Cassie demanded, confused at his sudden statement.  
  
"She probably has cabin fever. She was stuck in bed for the last three days." TJ replied.  
  
"Maybe being outside will help her. Good idea TJ." Zhane said as he lightly pulled the yellow ranger out of the chair. "Come on Ash, how about we go for a walk in the park?"  
  
Ashley smiled as she allowed Zhane to escort her off the mega ship for the first time in days.  
  
Zhane patiently walked with Ashley as she slowly made her way across the park towards the basketball courts. The others had already reached their destination and were waiting for the two to arrive. He noticed that she had been a lot happier when she left the ship and first arrived at the park but now seemed to be settling back into her reclusive and somber state.  
  
"What is it Ash?" Zhane confronted the brooding yellow ranger. "Nothing. Just thinking." Ashley replied softly as her gaze traveled to the many people in the park that day. She didn't notice when Zhane left her on a bench to play basketball, she didn't even watch the game at all. She glanced around and saw kids running all over. At the ice cream truck, swinging, playing ball, riding their bikes, and some with their moms and dads walking along the trails.  
  
She unconsciously moved her arm to rest on her still flat stomach. 'What will it be like for you?' She wondered as she thought about the child she carried. 'What will you look like? Will you have my brown eyes of Andros's hazel ones? Will you have brown or blonde hair? Will you like sports? Will you be outgoing or quiet? Just then the sudden approach of her teammates broke through her thoughts and Ashley found herself being stared at.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" Cassie queried her friend. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Ashley stood up as Zhane once again helped support her. "Yeah, let's go." She said and the group departed from the park.  
  
Dinner that night was another silent affair, as everyone seemed to be considerate of Ashley's quietness. She ate supper quietly and begged off from watching movies.  
  
"But we're going to watch Monty Python..." Carlos implored his best friend, trying to convince her to stay.  
  
"I'm tired Carlos. That trip to the park really wore me out." Ashley confessed sheepishly, as she fought back a yawn. "Are you ok Ash?" Karone asked gently. "Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure." She said, hoping she could actually get a good night's sleep.  
  
Cassie wasn't sure if Ashley was telling the truth or not, but looking at the dark circles under her eyes and her pale skin, she concluded that Ashley looked tired and she decided not to press the issue any further. The team watched as Ashley slowly exited the cargo bay and made her way to her quarters.  
  
"I thought for sure the park would be good for her." TJ exclaimed in frustration, slamming his hand down on the table.  
  
"IT was TJ. Maybe she just overdid it like she said." Cassie said, jumping in to her friend's defense and laying her hand on the blue ranger's shoulder.  
  
"I don't know guys. I think there's something more than just her missing Andros." Karone commented.  
  
"Yeah, besides no one could miss Andros that bad." Zhane cracked with a huge smile.  
  
"She got hurt really bad only a few days ago. Let's give her a chance to recover before worrying too much." Carlos decided after a few minutes of silence.  
  
"I just wish she would talk to one of us. I agree with Karone. Something's not right." Cassie confessed her fears to the other rangers.  
  
"So what do we do?" Zhane asked. No one had a quick answer to his question.  
  
"Jeff." Carlos exclaimed to break the tense silence. "Why didn't I think of that before?" He scolded himself. No one knew what Carlos was talking about. Exasperated he continued. "Her brother Jeff. They're really close. IF she wont' talk to us maybe she'll talk to him."  
  
"Good idea Carlos." Karone commented. "Can you get a hold of him?" she queried the black ranger.  
  
"Yeah, let me go give him a call." Carlos replied as he quickly hurried out of the room to phone Jeff.  
  
"Do you think this will work?" TJ wondered skeptically.  
  
Jeff picked Ashley p after school and took her out to a diner outside of town, where the cold have some privacy.  
  
"What's going on Ash?" Jeff asked his sister, concerned at how tired she looked. "Your friends are all worried about you." He commented gently.  
  
"I know." She stated simply. "I just have a lot on my mind right now."  
  
"Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe it will help to get some things of your chest." He advised her.  
  
"I guess it can't hurt." Ashley confessed. "I'll give you the short version of everything. I'm pregnant." Ashley declared to her brother. The statement shocked him.  
  
"Does Andros know?" Jeff wondered.  
  
"No. I didn't even know until after the last attack. I was hurt too bad, I knew something was wrong. But I didn't expect this." Ashley shook her head in dismay. "What am I going to do?" she moaned as she put her head in her hands. Jeff was startled at his normally cheerful sister's despondent mood.  
  
"First off, you have to take better care of yourself Ash. No offense, but you look terrible. And second, you've got to tell Andros and the others. It's too dangerous for you to be out there fighting." Jeff rebuked his sister.  
  
"I know I should. And I will tell Andros as soon as he comes home. But I'm afraid of what will happen if the wrong people find out." Ashley cried out in frustration, not noticing the stranger slumped in the booth behind her. "What if he doesn't want the baby?"  
  
"You can't handle this on your own anymore. You need Andros, and he needs to know so he can take care of you. Promise me you'll tell him." He begged her.  
  
"I promise Jeff. I gotta go." Ashley said hugging her brother heading back to the ship. "Let me take you back." She tried to protest but he wouldn't hear it. "I just want to make sure you're ok." Ashley conceded to her brother's wishes and he escorted her back to the ship.  
  
"Get some rest Ash. I'm here if you need me. Your friends will be too." HE reminded her kindly. Ashley gave him a weak smile as she entered her bedroom.  
  
Jeff met up with Carlos and the other rangers on the bridge to give them all a report on what he had found out. "She's going through a lot right now. I wish I could tell you but I promised Ash I wouldn't. All I know is that she needs Andros now more than ever. I hope he gets back soon or I don't know what will happen." He said ominously. "I wish I could be more optimistic..." he trailed off.  
  
"Thanks Jeff." Carlos shook his hand as Deca teleported him back to Angel Grove.  
  
"Dark Spectre!" Talon called out wickedly, looking for his master in the vast Dark Fortress.  
  
"What is it bird brain?" His evilness replied coolly.  
  
"I've got some good news." That seemed to peak Dark Spectre's interest. "Well go on." He encouraged his feeble villain.  
  
"It seems that the yellow ranger is pregnant with the Red Ranger's child." Talon grinned as he watched his master's face take in the information.  
  
"How did you find this out?" He demanded skeptically. He had lost count of how many times he was so close to destroying the rangers just to be foiled because of bad information.  
  
"I over heard her talking to her brother. Now you have a way of getting to the red ranger." Talon said confidently.  
  
"Yes. Yes I do. I'm sure the red ranger would do anything for his girlfriend and child." Dark Spectre decided as he began planning his evil plan. "This is good news indeed." He left the bird to go think in his lair. This time his plan couldn't fail.  
  
"Maybe we are expecting too much out of her too soon." Admitted Zhane. The others were still gathered around the dinner table, their food mostly untouched after the update from Jeff.  
  
"Rangers, your presence is required on the bridge." Deca interrupted them to inform them urgently.  
  
"Why?" TJ questioned the ship's computer. "What is it?" Cassie asked at the same time.  
  
"Let's go guys." Zhane commanded, leading the others down and unto the bridge.  
  
Zhane entered the bridge first and saw a person standing in the shadows. "What do you want?" HE demanded of the stranger, irritated at this intrusion. Just what they didn't need right now, a disturbance.  
  
"Is that any way to greet your best friend?" Andros called out as he walked out of the shadows only to be enveloped in a big hug by Zhane. "Andros!" he shouted. "What are you doing back?"  
  
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming back?" Karone demanded before giving Andros a hug as well.  
  
"IT was a surprise." He stated as if it were obvious.  
  
"Ashley will certainly be surprised." Carlos agreed, relieved that he was back. Maybe he could figure out what was wrong with her.  
  
Andros looked around and didn't see his girlfriend. "Where is she?" he questioned impatiently, he had been looking forward to seeing her. He imagined his homecoming to include her animated greeting of running down the ramp and into his arms. He was concerned not to see her. "Is she ok?" His arms ached to hold her.  
  
"She was tired so she went back to her room to rest." TJ answered the red ranger. "Before dinner?" Andros asked in surprise. "That's not like Ash." Suddenly he regretted every minute that he had spent away from her. Sure he had helped the alliance, but what was more important?  
  
"She hasn't been feeling well lately, she hasn't been herself." Cassie spoke up to inform Andros.  
  
Now he was really concerned. Before he could go to her room, Zhane was at the console across the bridge contacting her. "She'll want to see you." He said with a smile. Andros caught up with the other rangers as Zhane buzzed Ashley in her room.  
  
"So tell me about the attack." Andros demanded, not in his leader tone of voice, but in his boyfriend tone of voice.  
  
No one spoke for a few minutes before TJ finally jumped in. "It was scary Andros. I've never seen anyone hurt so badly. We've been in worse situations before, I don't know why this time was different." He admitted confused.  
  
"She refused to go to the med bay, she wanted to go straight to the hospital." Cassie put in. "And when Zhane powered her down, and her suit faded away..." She stopped as she remembered the sickening sight of her friend lying there covered in blood. She couldn't continue, as she was overwhelmed.  
  
Carlos took over for her. "There was a lot of blood Andros." The black ranger said honestly. Andros had to sit down. This was a lot worse than Karone had let on.  
  
"She's ok now, Andros." His sister promised him. "She just missed you a lot." She said to get the subject off of the attack. He nodded as he waited for her to arrive.  
  
Buzz. "Incoming transmission." Deca warned as Ashley threw off her covers. "This had better be good." She complained as she turned up the lights to see the transmission coming through on her screen. Ashley groaned as Zhane's face appeared on her screen. "This better be important." She grumbled. Zhane was about to tease her about her attitude but changed his mind when he saw her tired face. "Did I wake you?" he asked concerned.  
  
"You buzzed?" She asked, ignoring his question. "There's something you need to see on the bridge." He informed her. "Can you come up here?"  
  
"I'll be there in a few." Ashley replied with a sigh. Her well-needed rest would just have to wait. Zhane wouldn't have woken her up if it weren't important. Zhane nodded and cut off the transmission.  
  
"She's on her way." He informed the other rangers as he joined their circle of conversation.  
  
"You didn't wake her did you?" Andros confronted him. "Well yeah but," Zhane admitted slowly, not wanting to upset Andros. Before Andros could argue further, they heard Ashley's footsteps down the hall. Zhane went to greet her at the door.  
  
She didn't see the group gathered at the foot of the ramp as she reluctantly entered the room. "This better be good Zhane!" Ashley complained as she met up with the silver ranger. Zhane was a little taken aback at her impatience but led her down the ramp anyway.  
  
Ashley looked past Zhane and exclaimed softly, "Andros?" She took a step towards him when she felt dizzy and light headed. She grabbed unto the nearest console to steady herself.  
  
"Ash?" Andros wondered concerned when she didn't let go of the console. She just stared at him as her face went while. Ashley let out a loud sigh as her legs collapsed underneath her and she tumbled towards the floor. Luckily Zhane was only a step behind her and managed to catch her before she hit the floor.  
  
"Ashley!" Andros shouted as he rushed up the ramp, to where she lay limp in Zhane's lap with the other rangers not far behind. "What happened?" He demanded of his best friend as he joined the two on the floor.  
  
"I don't know Andros." He said honestly, his face pale, as he was worried about Ashley. Andros pulled her into his arms and was relieved when she started to stir.  
  
"Ash? Can you hear me?" The red ranger asked impatiently as he held her tightly, willing her to become alert quickly. He brushed her hair away from her face to see when she opened her eyes.  
  
"Yeah." She mumbled, her eyes trying to adjust to the brightness in the room to focus on Andros. "What are you doing here?" she asked him in confusion, as she laid a hand on his cheek.  
  
He granted her a small smile. "Never mind that, let's get you back to you room." Andros declared, pulling her into his arms and standing up to leave.  
  
"Andros, don't you think you should take Ashley to the medical bay." Carlos suggested to the team leader. Ashley whimpered in response, wrapping her arms tighter around Andros's neck.  
  
"I'm here now, I'll take care of her. If she gets any worse, I'll take her down." He stated firmly. TJ was relieved, Ashley was responding to him. And he knew Andros would take care of her better than Deca could.  
  
Andros keyed in the code to her room and gently laid her back in her bed. He shut off the lights, and climbed in with her.  
  
"I can't believe you're here." Ashley murmured as Andros rubbed her back to calm her down.  
  
"I'm so glad you're ok." Andros confessed. "When I heard about the attack, I was so worried."  
  
His concern caused Ashley to tear more, though he couldn't see it. How was she going to tell him about the baby? She knew she had promised Jeff she would tell him. But exactly how does one bring it up? She decided to tell him in the morning, she was too emotional now. Slowly she relaxed, and when she fell asleep, Andros eased out of bed to get some answers from the rest of the rangers.  
  
Andros made his way up to the holding bay where the others were waiting for him. "What's going on?" He asked to no one in particular.  
  
"We don't know Andros. She's tired all the time, and real quiet. We try to keep her busy but she just wants to be alone." Karone answered her brother quietly. He did not look pleased.  
  
"She wouldn't tell us what's going on, though she did talk to Jeff." Carlos added, hoping to appease Andros.  
  
"But maybe she'll feel better now that you're back Andros." Cassie announced. The group then disbanded and Andros made his way back to Ashley's room and climbed back in bed. He gathered her into his arms, silently praying that everything would be ok. He promised himself and Ashley he would do whatever it took to help her. He let her quiet breathing calm him down and he feel asleep, glad to be home, where he belonged.  
  
A/N: Thanks for all your reviews! The next part will be up shortly, I'm still writing it. 


	7. Early Morning Confessions

Chapter 7: Early morning confessions  
  
The next morning Andros wakes up to find Ashley is not in bed with him. Turning over, he sees a light on in the bathroom and hears Ashley throwing up. He tosses off the covers and hurries to her side. "Ash, are you okay?" he asks tenderly as he kneels down next to her and brushes her hair from her face.  
  
"I'm done." She mumbles as she leans back against him. Taking a deep breath, Ashley decides to tell Andros the truth. "Listen Andros, there's something I have to tell you. It's something you may not want to hear, but I have to tell you anyway."  
  
Andros sat there still, afraid of what she would say. She couldn't be breaking up with him, could she? He worried. He forced himself to breathe as he waited for her to speak.  
  
"I'm pregnant." She stated, looking straight into his eyes to see his reaction, and hoping he wouldn't break up with her. She thought their relationship was stronger than that, but she didn't know where Andros stood on the subject of getting married, let alone having children.  
  
He let out the breath he was holding. She wasn't breaking up with him." You scared me Ash. I thought it was something terrible like you were sick, or you were going to break up with me." He admitted, feeling relieved.  
  
He sat there for a few minutes just holding her when he exclaimed, "We're going to have a baby?" he placed his hand over her belly where their unborn child was waiting. "Wow." He said incredulously.  
  
Ashley was stunned. After running through every imaginable scenario in her head, she had been too afraid to hope that this would be how it happened. "You're not upset? We didn't plan this." Ashley asked timidly, wanting to make sure.  
  
Andros had never seen or heard Ashley so uncertain before. How could he have left her thinking there was no future for them? "How come you never called me?" He wondered inquiringly.  
  
"No offense Andros," she began sadly. "But if you didn't stay for me, I wasn't positive you would stay for our child." His heart broke at her forlorn statement.  
  
"I quit the alliance you know." He announced suddenly to her surprise and shock.  
  
"Why?" She demanded to know.  
  
"I was wrong Ash. I thought I could leave you, I thought you didn't need me. But after the last attack when you were hurt, and I couldn't do anything," he paused. "I've never felt so helpless in my whole life." And as he said that he knew it was true. She was his whole world, he had lost many things in his life, and had seemingly recovered, but if he lost her he knew he would be lost.  
  
"When did you find out?" Andros asked her, still marveling in the fact that she was carrying his child.  
  
"After the last attack, I knew something was wrong as soon as I even landed on the ground. And after the sword hit me, I knew I was in too much pain for the hit I received. I demanded that I go to the hospital; I knew something was amiss, and I didn't want the others to know. But I didn't have any idea that I was pregnant, until the doctor told me." Andros clenched his fists in anger as he thought about how close he came to losing her and their child.  
  
"You're not upset? We didn't plan this." Ashley asked timidly. Andros had never seen or heard Ashley so uncertain before. How could he have left her thinking there was no future for them.  
  
"Ash." He grabbed her hands and forced her to look at him. "I never planned on getting new teammates, and I never expected that I would find Zhane or Karone again. But above all, I never planned on falling in love. But I did, and I wouldn't change that for anything. We might not have planned to have a child now, but I hoped that someday we would. Someday's just a little sooner than we thought." Ashley cried at his honest heartfelt expression of love for her. All her doubts and fears were slowly fading away.  
  
"Did you think I would be upset?" He asked.  
  
"I didn't know what to think. We had never talked about the future before. We are both young and it was our first time and I didn't want you to be tied down."  
  
"Hmm. Sounds like something I said once. But a wise person told me that I was being selfish and that she would wait for me forever. Ash, I didn't tell you then but I'll tell you now, I can't imagine my life without you. In fact, I don't want to find out what it would-be e like. These past three months I have felt so alone, and I never want to felt that way again." He gazed deeply in her eyes and slowly framed her face with his hands before kissing her on her lips.  
  
"So how about we go tell the others?" he suggested, wanting to tell everyone the good news. To his surprise, she protested strongly against the idea.  
  
"NO! I don't want to tell them yet." She exclaimed. He didn't understand why, but agreed nonetheless to wait.  
  
"They're going to find out soon Ash." He reminded her. At three months, she wasn't showing yet, but she could feel the changes in her body, as the last attack clearly evidenced. Soon she would be showing confirmation of their growing child.  
  
"How about we tell them we're getting married." He suggested hopefully instead.  
  
"We are?" She asked curiously. 'Did I miss something?' she thought. He laughed at her bewildered expression.  
  
"Yes, if you'll have me." Andros stated. Ashley threw her arms around her boyfriend, or newly determined fiancé. "Of course I'll have you." "We'll both have you." She amended.  
  
"I'm so glad. I'm going to take care of you both, and be the best husband and father. So when will you marry me?" He asked, enjoying the cheerful occasion.  
  
Before she could answer the alarm rang out. They both groaned in unison and made their way to the bridge. Gingerly he helped Ashley to her feet. She had to laugh at the great care he was taking, treating her as if she were fragile.  
  
"I'm not going to break you know." She reminded him. He blushed at her teasing. "I'm not taking any chances." Her heart leapt at his statement and the two hurried hand in hand to meet the others.  
  
"Rangers, Dark Spectre has sent Talon down to Angel Grove Park. You must go right away." Deca declared.  
  
"Right." Andros agreed. "Ashley you stay here, the rest of us will go fight Talon." HE announced firmly. The fact that she didn't argue was not lost on the other rangers. But before they could further decipher Andros's decision, the red ranger called out, "Deca, six to teleport." And the six disappeared in colored streams of light. Ashley sank back into a chair.  
  
"Be careful." She whispered to her teammates as she closed her eyes to fight off the nauseous feeling.  
  
A video transmission interrupted her brief nap. A sinking feeling hit her as she waited for it to connect with main screen on the mega ship. A glowering image of Dark Spectre appeared suddenly. Alert, she sat up in the chair and was horrified at the next image that appeared. Behind him, wrapped in chains and tied to a pole was a human being, who was being held captive. As the camera zoomed in, Ashley realized with horror it was her brother Jeff.  
  
"He knows." She said aloud. "Dark Spectre knows about the baby." She mumbled to herself in disbelief. Her worst fears were coming true.  
  
"Yellow ranger, If you want your brother back alive, you will meet me on Phaedos and turn yourself over." Dark Spectre declared smugly. "Failure to do so in an hour will result in a long, tortuous death for him."  
  
The video shut off suddenly as Ashley was faced with a terrible decision. She couldn't let her brother die, buts he knew that she would be captured and used as bait to capture and destroy Andros.  
  
She never had a more difficult decision to make in her life. Give up her brother and ultimately give her fiancé over to Dark Spectre. Following her gut instinct that had proven wise time and again, she quickly teleported to Phaedos, ready to surrender. She only could hope that Andros would come up with a solution to the mess they now find themselves. 


	8. Tug of War

Chapter 8 Tug of War  
  
A/N I'm not very good at writing action scenes, so I hope these are interesting. Enjoy and review!  
  
Ashley landed on the planet and quickly scanned for Darkonda. "Here I am! You have what you want, now let him go!" She shouted, with as much courage and conviction as she could muster. Now she waited impatiently for him to appear with her brother.  
  
Suddenly the two appeared, and Ashley felt nauseous. She wasn't sure if it was the sight of her bruised and beaten brother, or the pregnancy, or the fear of what Darkonda would do to her, the baby, or Andros.  
  
"You made a wise decision yellow ranger." Darkonda sneered as he released Jeff from his chains. "Now come here and he's free."  
  
"Ashley, NO!" Jeff screamed as she surrendered to Darkonda. "Tell Andros I'm sorry." His sister demanded as tears filled her eyes with regret. He was teleported away before he could reply.  
  
"Finally, things are looking up." Darkonda said joyfully as he led the yellow ranger away in chains. "I'll try to be considerate of your condition." He said as he took a once over of her changing body.  
  
Ashley cringed at his leer. She tried to pull away so he couldn't stare at her, but he pulled the chains and dragged her back to his side.  
  
"Do that again, and I won't be so considerate." His angry tone scared her back to reality. She hated feeling so helpless, but she had to do everything in her power to protect her baby. Even if that meant succumbing to Darkonda. She had to buy the others more time.  
  
Andros and the others teleported back to the mega ship after the attack. Andros was shocked when he didn't see Ashley sitting where he left her. 'Maybe she was tired and went back to her room.'  
  
He turned to leave to go find her when he noticed that Deca was quiet, too quiet. She usually greeted them after a battle. "What's going on Deca?" he inquired of the computer. Deca refused to lift her camera to look at her leader. "Where's Ashley?" Andros continued on, tired of her silence.  
  
"She's not here." The computer stated simply. Andros rolled his eyes at her vague response.  
  
Andros got as mad as the others had ever seen him. "What? I told her to stay here!" The red ranger ranted, worried about her and the baby, which the others didn't know about. The others stared at him with various looks of shock and confusion.  
  
Before he could explain his outburst, a video came on the screen. "Looks like I outsmarted you this time Red ranger." Darkonda taunted Andros as he appeared on the screen.  
  
"I have your girlfriend right here. And your child. Now do what I ask and no one gets hurt. Well no one but you." He laughs evilly, convinced he's got the rangers right where he wants them. "You have a week to decide. If you don't come, then I'll be forced to do what I will. She's so pretty." He opined as he gazed affectionately at the yellow ranger.  
  
Ashley tried hard to hide her disgust and repulsion. One to be strong for Andros, and two to keep her baby safe. He felt himself getting sick at the sight of her in chains and horrified at the thought of her being hurt.  
  
Andros clenched his fists in anger as he watched her on the screen. He hated her being in that position. 'Don't worry Ash, I'll save you and our child.' He vowed to himself and to her. The screen faded out and the others began to discuss a plan of action.  
  
"Andros, what's he talking about? He made up that part about Ashley being pregnant right?" Cassie asked curiously. Everyone wanted to hear his answer.  
  
'This was not the way I planned on telling them.' Andros thought with a grimace. He looked up to stare at his bewildered teammates. "It's true." He whispered as the situation slowly sunk in and he slumped in his chair.  
  
"Oh my god." Zhane exclaimed in shock, he was the first one to speak.  
  
"We'll get them back Andros." Carlos declared determinedly. He couldn't believe his best friend was going to have a baby. No wonder she was so stressed...  
  
"Andros, how long have you known?" The black ranger wondered curiously.  
  
"Ash told me this morning." He admitted without looking up.  
  
"So how long has she known?" TJ jumped in. This must be the missing piece to the puzzle of why Ashley had been so stressed the last few months.  
  
"After the attack. The doctor told her in the hospital. She had no idea."  
  
"The question I have is, how did Darkonda get her in the first place?" TJ wondered logically. Andros looked to the blue ranger, that thought had crossed his mind too.  
  
The other rangers looked up as Jeff landed on the mega ship with a thud. "Jeff, are you okay?" Carlos demanded as he rushed up to his friend. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Darkonda used me to get to Ashley." He explained apologetically.  
  
"It's not your fault Jeff." TJ said to reassure him.  
  
"How is she?" Andros asked softly. "She'll be fine Andros, it's you they want." Jeff informed the group. Andros had never been angrier in his life.  
  
"If you turn yourself in, they'll probably let her go." Jeff suggested hopefully.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." Andros argued. "There's no guarantee." He said as he paced across the bridge.  
  
"Darkonda might just kill both Ashley and the baby right in front of you." Karone added, not wanting to say it, but having to be honest.  
  
"That's why we have the advantage." TJ declared optimistically. "Nothing will happen to her as long as we have Andros." The blue ranger advised the group.  
  
"We've got to keep it that way. For Andros, and Ashley." Zhane said forcefully.  
  
"So how are we going to get them back?" Cassie cried out in frustration. There was only silence as no one could offer an acceptable solution.  
  
TJ thought back to all their previous battles, trying to figure out a game plan. Anything, that might help them prepare to get Ashley back. Something clicked as he recalled the toughest opponents they had faced in their careers, the Psychos.  
  
"I have an idea." He announced suddenly. As the plan formed in his mind, he became more confident that it would work. He stood up and faced his teammates. "If it's the red ranger he wants, it's the red ranger he'll get." He paused as the others waited in confusion. "Six of them." He declared proudly as he crossed his arms.  
  
"Brilliant idea Teej." Zhane enthused, remembering how they had used that ploy against the Psycho rangers.  
  
"What do you think Karone? Do you think it will work?" Andros asked anxiously, standing still for the first time since the moment he realized Ashley was missing.  
  
She thought about it for a minute before answering. "I think it will. I really do." Her response encouraged them.  
  
"Alright then, Andros you go after Ashley and the rest of us will go after Talon." TJ directed the team.  
  
"Let's Rocket!" Andros yelled out as the six were transformed into their respective suits. Karone waved her hand over their suits and turned them all the same color red. Ready to go, Andros commanded, "Deca, six to teleport."  
  
"Good Luck rangers." Deca declared as she transported the six rangers to the planet Phaedos.  
  
"So you decided to match. How cute!" Talon jeered as he greeted the rangers. "I'll just have to destroy you all." He shouted arrogantly as he charged them, not noticing that one was missing. If he had, he would have known that was the one that Dark Spectre was desperate to capture.  
  
Zhane and TJ charged the bird and fired their astro blasters simultaneously, hitting the bird. Cassie and Karone joined the attack but this time their shots were deflected and the two were tossed aside. Carlos covered them as they recovered and regrouped. The five of them took down the clueless bird without much effort; it wasn't hard to defeat a creature that had no brain.  
  
"Where is she?" Zhane threatened as he held his sword above his throat. "If you talk, maybe we won't kill you." Talon shuddered at the strength of the silver ranger and his ominous threat.  
  
"Darkonda hid her in a cave on the other side of the planet." Talon confessed. Zhane relented and let the creature leave. The bird took off, not wanting to be seen by the power rangers or Dark Spectre again.  
  
"All right, let's go then." Zhane decided finally. Hopefully Andros had found her already, and they could return to the mega ship. There was a lot of information he needed from his best friend.  
  
Andros crept around the planet looking for any sign of his girlfriend. The sound of footsteps caused him to turn.  
  
"Did you think I'd let you find her so easily?" Darkonda sneered as he faced off with Andros. "If you tell me where the real red ranger is, I won't kill you."  
  
"Like I would trust you." Andros laughed as the two circled around to see who would be the first to make a move.  
  
Darkonda thrust his sword in Andros' direction; He quickly jumped out of the way and pulled his spiral saber out. They battled until both were exhausted. Darkonda made his final attack trapping Andros against the wall, the sword crushing his chest.  
  
Gasping for air Andros kicked Darkonda in the stomach, forcing him away. Pressing his advantage Andros forced his saber into Darkonda. The villain fell to his knees in pain. "This isn't over yet." He promised before teleporting away.  
  
Andros paused a minute to catch his breath. 'Ashley.' He panicked as he raced around looking for her.  
  
"Andros! We found out where Ashley is. She's in a cave on the other side of the planet." Carlos shouted as he ran to retrieve the red ranger.  
  
The six rangers hurried across Phaedos when they saw the entrance to the cave. Andros was about to rush in but Zhane restrained him.  
  
"TJ, Cass check it out." The silver ranger directed, and the pink and blue rangers disappeared and radioed back that it was clear. "Karone and Carlos you keep watch here. Andros and I will go in, TJ and Cass will cover us." He said with authority.  
  
"I hope we find her." Cassie whispered worried about her best friend. "We will Cass." TJ reassured her as he led her through the dark cave.  
  
The came to a steel door hidden in the darkness of the cave. If Zhane hadn't run into it, they never would have found it.  
  
"I told you my clumsiness was an asset." Zhane remarked quietly. Andros shot him a look that clearly told the silver ranger he was not amused. But Zhane didn't care. That was his role, to be the calm one, and Andros to be the serious one. Not that he could blame him. If it was his pregnant girlfriend who was in there, he was sure he would be just as insufferable.  
  
Andros pulled out his astro blaster and shot the door open, not bothering to waste time on figuring out the combination. The two walked into the room that reminded them eerily of a laboratory. There were all sorts of special equipment that Andros gathered were for collecting information and performing experiments. He shuddered to think what Ashley might have gone through. Before he could give in to full panic though, he was relieved to see her across the room.  
  
She was lying on a steel bed, her arms and legs pin down by metal restraints. There were slight bruises from where the chains had once held her, but otherwise she looked fine. She was still unconscious though, and Andros didn't know from what. He brushed the hair away from her face while he waited for Zhane to unlock the restraints. Andros checked her pulse and heart beat before removing the tiny probes that kept track of her vital signs. He was relieved that everything was functioning on their own.  
  
"Screw this." Zhane mumbled. Grabbing his astro blaster he shot the console. Sparks flew as the computer shut down. The restraints holding Ashley opened up and released her.  
  
"TJ, we got her. Meet us back at the mega ship." Zhane reported over the radio. He could almost hear their sighs of relief as they obeyed his command.  
  
Andros gently removed Ashley from the cold steel bed, and lifted her into his arms. He noticed a slight weight gain and subtle changes in her body and held her even closer to him in a protective gesture, and to warm her up. She was still in her pajamas, her tank top not offering a lot of warmth in the dark dungeon cell she had been locked up in for the past few hours.  
  
The few seconds it took to teleport seemed like forever to Andros as he appeared in the medical bay with Zhane right behind him. The others were there waiting for them.  
  
He placed her down on a patient bed while Alpha ran a scanner over her body. Andros waited patiently for a good report on her health, and the condition of the baby.  
  
"They're both fine, Andros." Alpha confirmed, much to the relief and excitement of him and the rest of the team. "She should wake up in a few hours, it appears that Darkonda gave her a sedative so she wouldn't try to escape."  
  
Carlos's stomach growled then and they remembered that they hadn't eaten all day. Reluctantly, Andros left Ashley's side and joined the others for a much needed meal. The group fell into easy conversation, more relaxed now that the threat was gone and Ashley was home safely.  
  
"I guess I should call Jeff and let him know." Carlos declared suddenly. As soon as he stood up to leave the rangers were called back to the medical bay.  
  
"What is it Alpha? What's going on?" Cassie demanded as she followed her teammates hurriedly down the hall and back to the yellow ranger.  
  
They barged in the room to find Ashley in a semi-alert state tossing and turning in distress. "No!" she yelled before giving into her sobs. Cassie was the first to get to her side and gently shook her, hoping to get her to wake up.  
  
Ashley opened her eyes to see Cassie there. The absence of Andros drove her back to sobs as she assumed the worst. "He can't be dead Cass. Andros!" she moaned as she pulled away from her friend and into a ball.  
  
Andros was immediately at her side, holding her hand. "Ash, it's ok. I'm ok. I'm here." He said trying to break through her agony. She finally noticed someone holding her hand and a familiar soothing voice. He moved his hands to her shoulders to keep her still. He wasn't sure if all the tossing was good for the baby. He just wanted to reassure her.  
  
Lifting her head, she had to blink her eyes repeatedly to make sure he was real. "You're here?" she whispered in disbelief. "I'm not going anywhere Ash." He promised her, tears in his eyes for her. He lowered his head and placed a tender kiss on her head, which stopped her tears.  
  
"I thought Darkonda killed you. He said..." She began but was cut off by her own tears. She had thought the worst when he had captured her, she didn't know how much time had passed since then. He looked her straight in the eyes. She was still shaking from fear and he gathered her in his arms to ease her pain. She started to relax in the safety of his arms.  
  
"Doesn't matter what he said. I'm here, you're here. Everything's going to be okay." He told her. It sounded hollow to Ashley but she let him promise it anyway. They were safe for now and that's all that mattered.  
  
The other rangers left them alone, as Andros crawled into the tiny patient bed with Ashley, holding her tightly to him, but not too tightly. Her back was pressed against his chest with his arms caressing her slightly swollen belly, imagining the child that was inside her. "I can't believe we're having a baby." He said still in awe of the fact, whispering in her ear.  
  
"Are you happy about this, I mean really happy?" Ashley questioned a bit fearfully, as she tried to see his face and read his expression.  
  
"Of course. I was happy this morning Ash, a bit shocked but still happy." He confirmed and he felt her relax in his arms. "I've never been happier." He could stay like this forever, while maybe not in the medical bay...  
  
That thought startled him. He had never seen himself doing anything other than being a ranger, but tonight he knew that Ashley would have to give up being a ranger if she, they were going to keep the baby. The risks were too great; the power could only protect them so much, as they had found out from the attack a few weeks ago. And if Ashley had to give up being a ranger, what would that mean for him? He had left her many times before, and it hadn't bothered him too much until the last time. And now having gone through the experience, he knew it was one he didn't want to repeat. He didn't know exactly what that meant for the future, but that thought was too heavy for him to think about now. He had Ashley in his arms and he knew he was right where he belonged. Deep in the back of his mind, he knew there were too many things left unsettled, but her gentle breathing lulled him to sleep and he pushed all other thoughts out of his head until the morning. 


	9. A change of plans

Chapter 9: A change of plans  
  
When Andros awoke the next morning he was relieved to see Ashley resting peacefully. He got out of bed and let her rest after the eventful day before. He placed on a kiss on her forehead and pulled the covers back over her. Andros left the room to go do some monitoring on the bridge.  
  
Zhane was waiting for him on the bridge when he arrived. "What are you doing up this early?" Andros teased his best friend as he made his way to the computer.  
  
"Andros, we need to talk." Zhane began seriously. This got Andros's attention. Sighing, as he knew what he wanted to talk about he sat down to indulge the silver ranger.  
  
"I guess by talking you mean you're talking and I'm listening." Andros said, crossing his arms across his chest.  
  
"I just wanted to know how you're doing with this whole baby thing." He asked compassionately. Andros paused for a minute. "I'm okay, the shock has worn off and replaced with excitement. I'm so nervous, I don't want to leave Ash for a minute." He confessed.  
  
"That's what I'm worried about Dros." Zhane admitted, using his old nickname. "Every time there's an attack what are you going to do? You can't be with Ash and the team at the same time." Though Ashley hadn't said anything yet, Zhane knew they would be looking for a new yellow ranger soon. It was inevitable. "She can't stay here Andros, it's not safe."  
  
"Where is she going to be safer than with me?" HE demanded, questioning his friend's judgment and sanity. "Are you saying I should quit?" He asked incredulously, jumping out of his chair." you know I'm not like that Zhane, I don't quit." He somewhat shouted, feeling defensive.  
  
"I'm just saying it's a decision you're going to have to make. Before it's made for you." Zhane advised his friend. Andros was silent, and Zhane took it to mean that the conversation was over. He only hoped his friend had heard what he said.  
  
Ashley woke up two hours later, and left her room to grab some breakfast. She was entering the hungry stage of her pregnancy. Luckily, the nauseous stage was pretty much over. She was in the hallway when everything went black. Her first thought was what did Carlos do to provoke Deca this time. She waited a minute then continued, confident that she could navigate the ship in the dark. The team always joked that they could maneuver through the mega ship with their eyes closed. She laughed at that memory as she kept going on down the hallway.  
  
She wasn't laughing a minute later when the ship rolled and Ashley was slammed into the wall. She braced herself but the next hit was too powerful. Horrified, she found herself falling towards the floor. She hit her knees first, absorbing the shock and threw her hands out to protect the baby. As she landed, she felt her wrist collapse under her weight painfully. She gingerly held her wrist closely to her body and lay on the floor waiting for the tossing and turning to stop.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Zhane yelled over all of Deca's alarms as he and Andros struggled to regain control over the mega ship.  
  
"I think we hit a pocket of dead air. It's like an electrical field, wrecking havoc on all our computers. Hopefully we'll be out soon." Andros declared as they forcefully held onto the consoles to avoid being tossed about.  
  
Just as suddenly as it started, the mega ship exited the vacuum. Deca's alarms went silent as Andros and Zhane caught their breaths.  
  
"Deca, give me visuals of the whole ship." Andros commanded urgently. The first camera showed Carlos lifting weights as the lights came back on much to their amusement.  
  
"Section one is clear." Alpha confirmed. "Scanning section 2." He informed the two Kerovians. The second camera showed Karone asleep at the table in the holding bay. Zhane chuckled and went to retrieve his girlfriend.  
  
"Scanning section 3." The robot informed Andros. The third camera showed TJ & Cassie packing up their books. "Two more sections to go." Andros said a bit anxious, to make sure everything was okay.  
  
"Section 4 is clear." Alpha chirped much to Andros's relief. All the engines and mechanical parts of the mega ship were unharmed.  
  
Andros waited as the fifth camera scanned the living quarters. He was checking the data pads for vital information when the camera beeped in alarm to alert him that something was wrong.  
  
His head shot up as the camera zeroed in on a figure lying on the floor. As the lights came up in the hallway, he clearly saw Ashley and jumped out of his chair, letting the data pad drop to the floor. He pushed past a surprised Zhane and Karone and raced to the fourth level. The couple followed him.  
  
"Ashley!" Andros shouted as he saw her a few feet away. She was pushing herself up. He was at her side in a minute and helped her to stand up. Zhane and Karone arrived on the scene but kept quiet as they watched.  
  
Andros put his hands on her upper arms and gazed at her in concern. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly. "Did you hurt anything?" She nodded as the tears filled her eyes. He moved his hands up to her face to brush away the tears.  
  
"My wrist, I fell on it." She admitted slowly. He put his arm around her and escorted her to the medical bay.  
  
"I'm really getting to hate this place." She murmured as she sat down. Alpha ran the bone scanner over her wrist. "Good news, it's only a sprain." He informed the duo and wrapped her wrist in an ace bandage. Andros kissed her in relief. Ashley let herself get swept away in the moment.  
  
"I need to go check on the others and the ship. Will you be okay?" He questioned tenderly. She nodded yes and he headed out the door, unaware of the turmoil going through her head right now.  
  
Ashley wondered up to the observation deck to think. She had been doing that a lot lately, ever since she discovered she was pregnant. She knew something had to change; she couldn't afford health wise to stay on the mega ship anymore. She was putting her baby at risk, especially today when they weren't even under attack.  
  
Frustrated she knew what the right decision was. It didn't mean she had to like it. But how was she going to tell Andros and the others? 'This is not how I planned it.' She thought sadly as she put her head in her hands. Looking up she stared out into space (literally) and tried to forget about the impeding meeting she would have to have with the rest of the team. She was so entranced she didn't hear when Andros entered the room.  
  
Zhane and Karone went back to the bridge where Cassie, TJ, and Carlos were gathered.  
  
"Where's Ash and Andros?" Cassie questioned curiously as she looked around as if they would just appear.  
  
"He took her to the med bay. Ash hurt her wrist when she fell when the ship was rocking." Zhane reported.  
  
"Speaking of which, what happened by the way?" TJ inquired, hoping it wasn't an attack.  
  
"Something about a pocket of dead air..." Zhane began to explain. A new voice continued the explanation. "We ran through a pocket of electric fields which caused us to lose control over the mega ship." Andros said, startling Cassie with his sudden appearance.  
  
"Was there any damage?" Carlos asked worried. Deca chirped in, "No Carlos. Everything is running smoothly." They all sighed in relief.  
  
"I got to get back to studying or I'm never getting out of high school." Cassie moaned dramatically. TJ rolled his eyes at her theatrics but nonetheless followed the pink ranger back to the rec room to study.  
  
"I'm going to hit the shower." Carlos added in on his way out. "Good thing too." Zhane remarked from next to the black ranger, while making a face of utter disgust. Carlos ignored the joke and headed back to his quarters.  
  
"If everything is okay here, I'm going to go find Ash." Andros decided among himself, Karone, and Zhane.  
  
"She's up on the observation deck Andros." Deca announced helpfully when the red ranger didn't find her in her room. Nodding he left Ashley's room and boarded the lift to the sixth floor. He spotted her sitting and staring out the window.  
  
"Hey Ash!" He greeted her. His enthusiastic greeting surprised her as she turned around to watch him. "Hey." She said not as enthusasistically, her shoulders slumped at the inevitability of her decision.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked, picking up on her sadness. Ashley took a deep breath. "Andros, we need to talk."  
  
"That's twice today someone's told me that." He remarked as he tried to make a joke. The humor was lost on her though. He settled down into the chair next to her. He didn't say anything, but his silence encouraged her to speak.  
  
"I can't be a ranger anymore Andros." She stated matter-of-factly. She was upset but she didn't really have a choice. "And I can't stay on the mega ship either." The last statement shocked him.  
  
He supposed he should have seen this coming, but honestly the thought had never crossed his mind. He never thought about the consequences this child would bring. Ashley wouldn't be out there fighting by his side, or be here to greet him anymore.  
  
"Alright." He conceded. "We could go live on KO-35." He suggested. She smiled at his effort. Ashley grabbed his hands in hers. "No Andros. I'm going back to Angel Grove with my brother." She informed him quietly. "I'll be safe there. The baby too."  
  
"You'll be safe here too. I'll protect you." He protested, he didn't want her to go. Ashley shook her head sadly. "I'm not safe here Andros. You're the leader of the power rangers but you'll be gone a lot. And that's ok. That's a good thing. But I will not let them use the baby or me again to get to you. They'll never stop chasing after you." She declared forcefully.  
  
"I'll quit Ash." He would say anything right now to get her to stay. "No!" She said loudly. Calming down, she continued. "That's sweet, and you say that now Andros, but I think you'll regret it. Besides, you've always been a ranger. I just don't want you to regret anything because of me. We just need some time to think about what we really want." She said realistically. "This isn't a decision to be made lightly."  
  
Her words reminded him of what Zhane had said earlier. '"I'm just saying it's a decision you're going to have to make. Before it's made for you." Now he knew what the silver ranger meant. He might not have made the decision but Ashley had. He couldn't just let her get away that easily could he? He didn't know what to do.  
  
The two sat in silence for a long time. "I guess we should go tell the others, huh?" Ashley asked rhetorically. Numbly he nodded, grabbing her hand they made their way down to the bridge. "Deca, have the other rangers meet us on the bridge in five minutes."  
  
Outside the bridge, Andros paused. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he pleaded with her to change her mind. "I don't want to Andros. But I don't see any other options."  
  
The other five rangers filed into the bridge laughing and carrying on as they usually did when they had a day off. They gathered around the strangely somber Ashley and Andros.  
  
"What's up?" TJ wanted to know as he perched himself on a console.  
  
"I guess it's no surprise that being pregnant and being a ranger don't exactly work well together." She sighed. "I hate to do this, but you're going to need to find another yellow ranger. Health wise I can't do it anymore." She announced tearfully.  
  
The others weren't surprised by her announcement but they were sad. TJ, Cassie, Carlos, and Ashley had been teammates for almost two years now. Carlos couldn't imagine going on without her. Cassie started to sniffle as tears ran down her face. What was she going to do without her best friend? The yellow ranger looked like she had more to say so they focused on her and listened.  
  
"I can't stay on the mega ship anymore either." She reluctantly admitted, not willing to look in their faces. They knew it was the right decision, but it didn't mean they had to like it.  
  
"You know I'm happy for you right?" Cassie asked Ashley, who nodded and the two hugged. "I'm going to miss you like crazy." The pink ranger confessed. Ashley agreed silently.  
  
"This totally sucks." Carlos complained, as he got angry. Angry at Ashley for leaving, and angry with Andros for getting her pregnant. Everyone stopped to look at the black ranger, including Ashley who pulled away from Cassie to address Carlos.  
  
"You don't think I know that Carlos? Do you think I wanted to get pregnant? Or for this to happen? I didn't plan this! If I had we would have defeated Dark Spectre, and there wouldn't have been a need for us anymore. We could have gone back to earth and our normal lives, together. I don't want to do this but I have to."  
  
Ashley's diatribe startled the others. They knew she was excited about the baby, but they hadn't realized how tough the decision was on her as well. They had been too caught up in their own emotions to notice. Zhane winced at her tone of voice. HE should have tried harder to spare her from this pain. He had known what this would come to.  
  
Ashley couldn't take them all staring at her. "Excuse me." She said finally as she rushed from the room. Though she contained herself in front of them, as soon as she left the bridge they could hear her sobbing.  
  
Andros ached to go to her, but Zhane restrained him. "She's right you know." The silver ranger spoke out into the silence. "We'll need a yellow ranger."  
  
Reluctantly the others sat back down to discuss a plan of action. "So does anyone have any ideas?" TJ asked aloud. Nobody said anything; they felt like they were betraying Ashley.  
  
"There's a girl in Park City." Deca announced subdued. "Her name is Jamie, she's a first year student at Jasper University. She was an all-state track star in high school." The computer read her profile aloud.  
  
"How do you know about her?" Zhane questioned suspiciously. Deca answered back, "We have profiles for lots of people, we need to have back ups just in case something happens." She informed the rangers.  
  
"So you have backups for all of us?" Karone asked rhetorically. Obviously Deca was more prepared than any of the rangers gave her credit for.  
  
"Do you think she'll want to do this?" TJ asked skeptically. 'Who in their right mind would go off to space to fight evil villains?' he thought to himself. Deca set out to contact Jamie.  
  
Ashley was in her room packing up the years of memories she had acquired while traveling through space. 'Am I making the right decision? How can I leave my friends? How can I leave my boyfriend who wants to marry me?' Shaking off her doubts she reluctantly continued to pack.  
  
Cassie left the boys to figure out the details and went to comfort her best friend. She could tell how hurt she was by Carlos's careless words. True it sucked that Ashley was leaving, but in the long run it was more important that she was safe. Besides, it wasn't like they were going to be rangers forever. And if Cassie were honest with herself, she did feel a small amount of guilt into pressuring Ashley to sleep with Andros.  
  
Zhane too felt a bit guilty about his role in pushing Andros to sleep with Ashley. But what's done is done; now they have to figure out what to do. Carlos, TJ, and Karone had left them alone to do other tasks, but Zhane couldn't recall what.  
  
"I cant' believe she's going to leave." Andros murmured dejectedly. "I can't believe this is happening."  
  
"Why?" Zhane asked in surprise. Andros glared at his best friend. "Listen Andros you would have given anything to protect Karone from being kidnapped right? Even if it meant Ecliptor had taken you. That's how Ashley feels about the baby. And you." Zhane explained patiently.  
  
"But how can she think I won't protect her? I love her." He shouted angrily in confusion.  
  
"She knows you'll try to protect her, but you can't guarantee that you'll be there all the time. Not when you're a ranger. It's a promise you can't make. And she loves you Andros, but she will not put your baby at risk to stay here." The silver ranger continued on. "And what happens when the alarm goes off? Who comes first Ashley or the team?" His question stumped the fiercely loyal red ranger.  
  
"Why do you want me to quit?" Andros demanded in frustration. "I DON'T!" Zhane shouted back getting in the red ranger's face. "But maybe you do. Follow your heart for once Andros." He said before stalking out and leaving the red ranger alone.  
  
The mood was somber that night as it was Ashley's last night on the mega ship. After dinner she would be leaving to go back to Angel Grove.  
  
Ashley had Deca teleport her bags back to Jeff's apartment and set out to make her goodbyes. First off she hugged the lovable robot that had been a companion for the last two years. Alpha was choked up as he said goodbye to Ashley. "It won't be the same without you." He remarked sadly. "I'll miss you too Alpha." She replied. She continued on, looking around the mega ship at the place that was her second home. She would miss the times gathered around the holding bay for meals, playing basketball on the simu deck, or watching the stars from the observation deck.  
  
Ashley remained fairly composed as she said goodbye to her teammates. TJ wished her well and gave her a hug. Ashley forgave Carlos for his comments and hugged her best friend goodbye. She didn't even break down when she hugged Cassie, Karone, or Zhane. The others let her and Andros have a few minutes.  
  
"You know I love you, right?" Ashley said to her boyfriend. Andros nodded numbly. "I have to do what's best for the baby."  
  
"And I love you too Ash. You were right, I don't know if I'm ready to stop being a ranger. Please if you need me, call me right away." He begged her.  
  
"I promise." She whispered, feeling the tears start to fall. Andros grabbed her to him and hugged her hard. The two lovers stood there for what felt like an eternity. "I have to go." She said finally. Andros lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate and heated kiss. The others came in to say their final goodbyes.  
  
Ashley took her communicator off and laid it on the console. Smiling to her teammates, "Good Luck." She wished them. "Deca, one to teleport." She commanded. She waved to her friends before she disappeared in a golden stream of light.  
  
Her absence was felt right away as the others remained still in their places, still in shock. Nobody wanted to be alone right now, so they gathered in the holding bay to eat, even though nobody was really hungry. They just needed to be together. Andros begged off from watching movies and went to his quarters.  
  
Andros piled on the blankets, as he could not get warm. He had gotten accustomed to Ashley being there to share her body heat with him. But her absence left him cold and his bed empty. Even though they had only been intimate for two months, he couldn't remember what it was like before that. He groaned, as he could not fall asleep, he was desperate to sleep because he would see her in his dreams and not face the reality that she wasn't there. He decided to play the video from the night long ago before he had left for the alliance.  
  
Deca played the holographic image of the two of them dancing, he could hear the music in the background.  
  
How do I get through one night without you  
  
If I had to live without you what kind of life would that be  
  
Oh, I need you in my arms need you to hold  
  
You're my world my heart my soul  
  
If you ever leave...  
  
Baby you would take everything good in my life  
  
And tell me now,  
  
How do I live without you?  
  
I want to know  
  
How do I breathe without you?  
  
If you ever go,  
  
How do I ever, ever survive?  
  
How do I, how do I, oh how do I live?  
  
Andros knew he should regret that night. One night of pleasure was bringing them extended periods of pain and separation. But he couldn't muster any sense of regret, just longing for the only person who had changed his life.  
  
Ashley arrived to find her brother's apartment empty. After an emotional day she moved her stuff into the guest room and started a bath. She turned on the radio to block out the silence. She remembered when she had first moved onto the mega ship, how weird it was to live with her friends. She loved them all dearly, but they were noisy and had strange habits, like Carlos running down the halls when he couldn't sleep. Or Cassie's loud music she played whenever she was in a bad mood. Ashley sighed. She listened to the song that had just come on. She sat down on the edge of the tub, her feet dangling in the warm water as she remembered that day, the night before Andros left for the alliance. The night that had changed everything.  
  
Without you...there'd be no sun in my sky  
  
There would be no love in my life  
  
There'd be no world left for me, and I...  
  
Baby I don't know what I would do  
  
I would be lost if I lost you  
  
If you ever leave...  
  
Baby you would take everything real in my life  
  
And tell me now,  
  
How do I live without you?  
  
I want to know  
  
How do I breathe without you?  
  
If you ever go,  
  
How do I ever, ever survive?  
  
How do I, how do I, oh how do I live?  
  
If she had thought he didn't love her before that night, he certainly changed her mind after. He had been so open and gentle with her, and it had been the most amazing night of her life. She got to see a side of Andros that had never been seen before, and after that he was much more alive, even the others could see it.  
  
The two lovers fell asleep in separate beds, separate worlds for the first time in months.  
  
A/N: Please review! Thank you for all your comments. 


	10. On Earth

Chapter 10: On earth  
  
Ashley was walking around the lake at Angel Grove Park, her Walkman on, enjoying an early spring afternoon. She watched with sadness the couples walking around her. 'Why can't that be me and Andros?' She complained to herself for the millionth time since leaving him and the other rangers behind. 'Why did everything have to change?' Now here she was alone. Sure Jeff tried to help her when he could but he had his job and his girlfriend to deal with too. Not to mention that she had a job at the bookstore to keep her busy. Anything to keep her mind off of Andros. Sighing she slipped the headphones back over her ears and let the music drown out the happy noises surrounding her.  
  
Sometimes it's wrong to walk away, though you think it's over  
  
Knowing there's so much more to say  
  
Suddenly the moment's gone  
  
And all your dreams are upside down  
  
And you just wanna to change the way the world goes round Tell me...  
  
Have you ever loved and lost somebody  
  
Wished there was a chance to say I'm sorry?  
  
Can't you see, that's the way I feel about you and me baby  
  
Have you ever felt your heart was breaking?  
  
Looking down the road you should be taking?  
  
I should know, 'cos I loved and lost the day I let you go  
  
Tears streamed down her face and Ashley had to blink away the blurriness. Although she managed to wipe away the tears the blurriness was still there. Ashley began to panic as she suddenly felt nauseous. As the dizziness did not decrease, she stopped walking to sit on the bench. She had been having too many episodes like these lately, periods of time where she felt light- headed and nauseous. She hoped it would pass as she leaned back and let her eyes close shut. Exhausted, the former yellow astro ranger fell asleep and did not wake up until two familiar people roused her from her slumber.  
  
Adam and Tommy were jogging around the park after a long day at the dojo. The two often spent after hours working out before going their separate ways to join their wives at home. As they made the turn around the lake, Adam spotted a familiar person unmoving on a bench nearby.  
  
"Isn't that Ashley?" He wondered curiously to his companion. "I think so." Tommy replied, and the two stopped their exercise to check on the girl. "What is she doing here?" The white clad man asked in confusion. 'Wasn't she supposed to be on the mega ship with the other rangers?'  
  
Adam was worried that she was hurt but upon closer inspection realized she was only sleeping. He reached over to shake her arm gently to wake her up. "Ash?" he whispered to her, not wanting to shock her out of her sleep.  
  
Ashley felt herself being moved and forced herself to open her eyes despite her body's protests. She jumped a bit as she found herself looking into the eyes of Adam Park and Tommy Oliver.  
  
"Hey." Tommy greeted her as she looked around and realized that it was almost dark out. "What time is it?" She inquired anxiously as she pushed herself up into a sitting position.  
  
He checked his watch and answered her. "Five fifteen." She gasped as she took in the fact that she had been on the bench for over two hours.  
  
"Ash, what are you doing here?" Adam asked gently when she offered no explanation first. She sighed, there would be no avoiding this question, and honestly she didn't want to. She wasn't ashamed of being pregnant, in fact she was very excited about the baby, but she was still saddened about her separation from Andros and her friends. The two men sat down on the bench and waited for her to speak.  
  
"Well in case you hadn't noticed, I'm six months pregnant." She announced as she placed her arm over her stomach. "So I retired from being a ranger." If her first statement had shocked them, the second one completely blew them away. It took Tommy and Adam a few moments to recover.  
  
"So where are you staying? Who's taking care of you?" Adam questioned his old friend, concerned about her welfare and the baby's.  
  
"I'm staying with my brother at his apartment." Was all that she said, as tears of regret started to trickle down her face. What she left unsaid though spoke volumes. The two men looked at each other, knowing the next question they must ask, but not wanting to be the one to ask.  
  
Finally Tommy asked," Where's Andros?" "He's still on the mega ship, he has obligations to fulfill." Ashley replied softly.  
  
"He has an obligation to you too Ash." Adam reminded her, a bit angrily. He wasn't angry with her, he was angry with Andros, for making her go through this alone. But he also felt sorry for the red astro ranger, knowing how much joy he had from seeing his son born.  
  
Tommy couldn't imagine how hard it was for Ashley, having to leave her friends, rangering, and her boyfriend behind in outer space. He only knew he would hate it if Kim had to have gone through all that.  
  
"Why did you leave? Couldn't you have stayed on the mega ship?" Adam wondered. He then saw her wrist wrapped in a bandage. "What happened to your arm Ash?"  
  
"I fell on it when the mega ship went through an air vacuum. That's why I left, I didn't want to put the baby in danger or Andros." She explained.  
  
"What do you mean about putting Andros in danger?" Tommy demanded anxiously. He was growing more concerned for her by the minute.  
  
"Darkonda has already tried to use me and the baby to get to Andros." She whispered softly. "I thought I would be safe on earth." She stated miserably.  
  
"You will be. We'll make sure of it." Tommy declared. "Come on we're taking you over to Billy's lab." He decided and helped the yellow clad girl off the bench. They quickly hopped into Adam's jeep and the three drove the short three miles to Billy's house.  
  
"What are we doing at Billy's?" Ashley questioned the two men. "And who is Billy?"  
  
"Billy was the original blue ranger, he's been a friend of mine for a long time." Tommy explained, calming her down. "Anyway, he's a technical genius. He has a wristband bracelet that will protect you in case you run into trouble." Ashley nodded in response as they pulled up to what she assumed was his house. Adam helped her out of the jeep and Tommy rang a bell on the side of the garage.  
  
The garage door opened revealing a blonde haired man with blue overalls on, covered in grease and all sorts of protective gear. He ushered them into his lab as Tommy made the introductions.  
  
"Billy, this is Ashley. She is the former yellow astro ranger. And Ashley, this is Billy, the original blue ranger like I said before." Tommy repeated as the two-shook hands.  
  
"Nice to meet you Ashley." Billy said, always a perfect gentleman. "What's going on?" he asked his two friends, and once teammates.  
  
"We were wondering if you could make a wristband bracelet for Ashley, like the ones you made Kim and Aisha." Tommy requested discretely, not giving away any information.  
  
"Certainly." The blue clad man replied. If Tommy said that Ashley needed it, then that's all there was too it. Ashley was impressed with his trust in Tommy's word and that he didn't need any more details than had been given.  
  
Within minutes he pulled out a yellow wristband that looked more like a watch than a safety device. "This wrist band has a homing device in it so we can know where you are if we need to find you. It also keeps track of your vital signs and will even teleport you back here if you find yourself in danger." He explained how the device worked and strapped it on her.  
  
"Thank you." She murmured to all three men as she gazed at the wristband in awe. The three nodded in understanding. 'Once a ranger always a ranger.' Zordon's motto ran through their heads, if any ranger was ever in trouble, there would always be someone there to help, no matter what.  
  
Tommy glanced at his watch and groaned. Kim was going to kill him, this would be the second time this week he was late for dinner. Not that he didn't have a good excuse, but still. "Adam, do you think you can take Ashley home? I have to run, I'm an hour late for dinner." Tommy pleaded with his co-owner of the dojo. Adam pretended to think about it, but simply told him, "Get out of here." Relieved, Tommy raced out of the lab and down the few streets to his own house.  
  
'Where is that man?' Kimberly declared in frustration. She looked at the clock to make sure it really said 6pm. 'he should have been home at 5 o'clock.' Even if he hadn't quite outgrown his tardiness, yet, she thought optimistically, she knew there was a good reason for him to be late. Just then the karate instructor dressed in white came strolling in the front door.  
  
"Hey baby, I expected you home an hour ago." Kimberly gently chided her husband. Tommy wrapped his arms around his petite wife and gave her long, gentle kiss. "Sorry. Adam and I ran into an old friend at the park, and she needed our help so..." he said contritely.  
  
"No big deal, I'll just reheat dinner and we'll eat in five minutes okay?" Kim told him as she put the casserole into the microwave. "So are you going to tell me about it or is it something you can't share?" she asked Tommy as she sat down across from him at the kitchen table.  
  
"I think it's important that you know. Maybe you and Aisha could help her." Tommy decided.  
  
"You know I'll help if I can." Kimberly assured her husband, waiting for him to continue with the story. Tommy quickly filled her in on finding Ashley at the park and the events that had followed.  
  
"Poor girl." She agreed with her husband as her mind raced a million miles a minute to figure out how she could help Ashley. Tommy smiled as he watched his wife consider her options, If anyone could figure out what to do, it was certainly Kim.  
  
"Arg!" She cried out in frustration as she threw another pair of jeans unto the bed. Her bed was no covered in clothes that no longer fit her changing body. Ashley sighed. She had been doing well for the first five months, but once she hit the sixth month, she began gaining weight rapidly, quickly outgrowing her clothes. She had taken to wearing her brother's sweats and shirts, but she felt depressed wearing them and reluctantly dragged herself to the mall, in spite of her exhaustion. It seemed like even the most routine of things would wear her down, on top of working full time at the bookstore  
  
"Just go in, you can't avoid the mall forever." She coaxed herself through the doors of the mall, only to run into the girl who had taken her place as captain of the cheerleading squad.  
  
"So that's why you haven't been in school lately." Shana said with a smirk as she glanced at Ashley's bulging stomach, before rejoining the rest of the squad.  
  
She fought off the instinct to turn and walk right back out those doors. But that would mean she would have to go past Shana and she didn't want to give her that satisfaction. Besides, today was her only full day off, and she had to take advantage of it. No one else was around to help her prepare for her baby's arrival.  
  
Ashley tried not to let Shana's comments affect her. She was here for one purpose and one purpose only, to find some maternity clothes. At this point she didn't care about the style, if she could only find something that fit. She didn't care what other people thought about her; the only person's opinion that she valued was millions of miles away.  
  
The thought of Andros gave her pause from her anger at Shana's insensitivity. Her battle training had her level-headedness back in no time. She managed to push thoughts of Andros away for a little while so she could accomplish the task at hand.  
  
Determined she strode the mall, ignoring the pains of her feet which had swelled to the point that they no longer could fit in most of her shoes. She had put on her sandals that morning, but they did little to decrease the pain, since they had no support for her newly aching back.  
  
"Girl, nobody can be that depressed when they're in a mall." Aisha commented as she and Kim caught up with the yellow clad girl. Ashley offered a small smile. Kim noticed that she looked strained; Tommy had informed her of Ashley's situation and decided to help a fellow ranger out.  
  
"Listen Ash. Tommy told me about the baby and everything, how about Aisha and I help you pick out some maternity clothes?" she whispered non- chalantly as she came up on her left side.  
  
"Yeah, we know how overwhelming it can be, having gone through it ourselves." Aisha joined in, standing on Ashley's other side.  
  
Ashley looked surprised at their offer but was relieved. "Thanks, I would really appreciate it, I have no idea where to start." She admitted to the eager pair as she looked down at her feet.  
  
Kim didn't miss the look on Ashley's face as she was focused on her feet. Kim noticed that they seemed swollen and uncomfortable. "How about we start at the shoe store?" she decided, and was relieved when some of the tension seemed to ease from Ashley's face.  
  
"Looks like we've got our work cut out for us." Aisha declared solemnly before bursting out in laughter. Kim and Aisha's enthusiasm was contagious and soon even Ashley found herself less stressed and troubled then when she had entered the mall. 


	11. In Space

Timeline: 2 weeks after Ashley's departure.  
  
Chapter 11: In Space  
  
Andros sat up in the observatory for the third night in a row. He looked out at the stars and marveled at how vast the universe was. He had never thought about it before since he had been too preoccupied with fighting evil, but now with Ashley on the other side of the universe he thought about it everyday.  
  
He had never once considered quitting being a ranger until now, until Ashley. He had never believed he would ever fall in love, and now that he had it had changed him. Andros could not go back to the person that he had been, he now recognized how empty and meaningless life was without friends, without love. He was thankful that they had not given up on him.  
  
Andros remembered meeting the then turbo rangers for the first time. Cassie had introduced herself first then Ashley. He was surprised to find himself looking into her eyes, and he remembered thinking how beautiful they were. He stopped himself from continuing the inventory, because he knew he would be in trouble if he did. He couldn't risk losing concentration because of her, and continued to push her away as a result. When she didn't back down however, he found himself enjoying her company more and more.  
  
And now the last two weeks have been one endless blur of moments, he couldn't remember any specific details of what had happened, only that Ashley wasn't there with him. Nothing seemed important any more. What was the point of life if you weren't living it? He was like an empty shell of a man lately, his reason for being gone. She had enchanted him with her love for life, her spontaneity, her smile and her laughter. And now she was gone. Well not gone exactly, just far away. But did it have to be that way? Andros sighed as his mind struggled to decide what his heart had already chosen. He just couldn't accept it yet.  
  
Desperate to think of happier times and not of an impeding decision he put on a cd Ashley had left behind. He settled into the large chair letting the soothing words relax him.  
  
Have you ever loved and lost somebody  
  
Wished there was a chance to say I'm sorry?  
  
Can't you see, that's the way I feel about you and me baby  
  
Have you ever felt your heart was breaking?  
  
Looking down the road you should be taking?  
  
I should know, 'cos I loved and lost the day I let you go  
  
Deca's alarm interrupted his pity party as he raced out of his quarters and up to the bridge. At that moment a teleportation beam appeared and a girl with red hair and stunning green eyes emerged.  
  
"Deca!" Andros yelped. "Why didn't you tell me she was coming?" he demanded of the computer as the girl stepped onto the bridge.  
  
She looked around trying to get familiar with her new surroundings. Everything was so different. Jamie couldn't believe she was here, that she was actually going to be a power ranger. Her first year of college had just ended when Zhane had approached her. She agreed, and told her parents that she was going to Europe for the summer. And now she was here. Well, wherever here was. Wherever she was it was definitely highly technological, she thought amazed as she glanced around.  
  
Andros mistook her awe for something else. "If you're thinking this is going to make you famous, you might as well leave now." He commented harshly. The others looked at him in shock, Zhane shooting him a glare that could cut through stone. IT wasn't as impressive as the infamous Andros stare but it still conveyed the message that the silver ranger was displeased.  
  
Nonplussed the red ranger stalked off the bridge and sought solitude, leaving the others behind in stunned silence. He had planned on going to the observatory but at the first vacant spot he found, Andros felt the tears falling. That girl on the bridge, she was here to replace Ashley. His heart couldn't take it the reality that was setting in.  
  
It was all his fault that they even had to replace Ashley in the first place. Why couldn't he have handled it all better? Why did this have to happen? Why am I still here anyway? All of his so-called obligations to being a ranger had vanished the moment Ashley had left him and the mega ship behind. His heart ached for the yellow ranger. Former yellow ranger, he thought bitterly.  
  
"It's never wrong to love." Advice from his mother caused him to start as he remembered what she had told him shortly after his father's death. It had been just the two of them, with Karone having been kidnapped years earlier. It was that event that had pushed the red ranger away from relationships, away from caring about anyone. Not even Zhane could understand what he was going through, and the two had been inseparable since birth. When the opportunity arrived to become a power ranger, Andros jumped at the chance to do something that would occupy much of his time. After he had become a ranger, he had two missions. One, to see if he could find his sister and rescue her, and second to be alone. He couldn't bear one more rejection or heartache. He hoped being in space would finally banish some of his demons.  
  
But Zhane refused to watch his best friend just waste away to an empty shell of a human being. Try as Zhane did, it wasn't until Ashley and the others had arrived that Andros realized that no matter how much he tried to deny it, there was still a part of him that could care for other people. However, Zhane hadn't been around to see it. His apparent death drove Andros into a deeper depression.  
  
But it didn't take Ashley long to break down his walls. He didn't even know how it happened but he knew he was gone the first time she was driven to the ground by one of the quantrons. His heart had stopped and refused to restart until he saw her get back to her feet. He found himself close to her side from then on in every battle they faced. Until now. The mega ship seemed so empty and much quieter without her contagious laughter and upbeat voice echoing through the halls. And life only got better with her to support him as Zhane awoke from his two-year coma, and his long lost sister returned to him and the cause of good.  
  
"Is he always this friendly?" Jamie asked sarcastically to Zhane as he gave her the grand tour of the mega-ship. She was referring to the red ranger's rude behavior when she had first arrived a few minutes ago.  
  
"Oh that?" Zhane said as he tried to cover up his best friend's behavior with an excuse. Sighing he knew he could not. Besides she deserved the truth, she'd find out sooner or later why there was a need for a new yellow ranger. And she deserved a warning about Andros.  
  
"Listen Jamie. There are some things you should know. It might make it easier to understand Andros." The silver ranger began to explain as he ushered her into the recreation room.  
  
Her green eyes watched him as he uneasily tried to explain. "The reason you're here Jamie is because the former yellow ranger is pregnant and had to resign." Understanding flashed in her emerald eyes and she followed his statement with one of her own. "And let me guess-she's his girlfriend." She concluded finally. Zhane nodded.  
  
"I hope he plans on apologizing." TJ exclaimed in frustration as soon as Zhane joined the others for a short conference. "We're never going to be a team if he has such animosity towards Jamie." The blue ranger announced as he paced around the room.  
  
"God, Teej. Ashley's only been gone two weeks." Cassie said accusingly, her dark eyes flashing at him. TJ softened at her expression and came to stand next to her. "Cass, it's not that I don't miss Ash already, but we have to keep on." He said as he placed a hand on her shoulder, only to be brushed off by Cassie.  
  
"Yeah Cass. Even Ash would want us to move on. We have to. It's our job." Carlos added, trying to convince the sad pink ranger as she turned her back on the group.  
  
"What are we going to do about Andros?" Cassie asked quietly, without turning around. The others stopped their pacing and discussing to think about their most pressing problem at the moment. Their leader.  
  
"Andros was never as close with his old team as he is with you guys. I don't know what he'd do if he lost any of you. And he never was in a relationship before; I know he's worried sick about Ashley. His whole life has been wrapped up in being a ranger, its what he does, and it's who he is. And now he's realizing that's no way to live." Zhane said, trying to encourage them to be patient with him right now.  
  
"Do you think he'll leave too?" Karone wondered a bit anxiously. She didn't feel close to anyone quite yet, and didn't know what she would do if he did leave.  
  
"I don't know Karone." Zhane admitted slowly, wishing he could give them all more answers. He rubbed his hands over his face, exhausted both physically and emotionally.  
  
"I guess we'll just take it one day at a time." TJ supposed thoughtfully. The room was silent as life after Ashley continued on the mega ship.  
  
"Has anyone told Jamie?" Carlos asked, causing everyone to look at him. The thought hadn't occurred to them. Well most of them.  
  
"I did." Zhane admitted, not afraid to look Carlos in the eye. But Carlos wasn't upset, it was something that had to be done and he was glad that he didn't have to do it. But his respect for the silver ranger grew as he was seeing first hand Zhane taking over some of the leadership role from Andros. Anything to help his best friend.  
  
Cassie wondered if Ashley had the same luxury back home. She had been a ranger for almost a year and a half, long leaving her "normal" life in Angel Grove behind. She knew from experience that her friends had changed and moved on with their lives, and expected that Ashley's had done the same. Though they hadn't traveled in the same social groups, and Cassie tended to be more of a loner, she knew that Ashley had sacrificed a lot, like her cheerleading team, and dance classes to become a ranger and protect the planet. And now it seemed like she gave it all up for nothing, and Cassie wondered bitterly if there was a purpose for any of them being rangers. Did they give up everything only to be forgotten? Would they ever be able to have a normal life after being a ranger? She left suddenly, needing to be alone with her thoughts, and wanting to get her emotions under control before meeting Jamie.  
  
Carlos and TJ were the only rangers there in the holding bay when Zhane arrived with Jamie, finally finishing the tour they had started before. He explained to her how the synthetron worked and helped her figure out what to eat for her first meal.  
  
Cassie joined them a few minutes later, having returned to her usual energetic and cheerful self and introduced herself to Jamie. "Hi, I'm glad you're here." The pink ranger said sincerely. Jamie felt most of her fear melt away as she eased into conversation with the four rangers.  
  
Karone managed to cajole Andros into leaving his spot of solitude, appealing to his sense of duty and team to get him to meet the new yellow ranger. "I probably won't like her." He protested, knowing his argument was weak, but feeling like he needed to say it in defense of Ashley. Karone just nodded and dragged him away to where the others were finishing their dinner.  
  
Conversation stopped as brother and sister entered the room. The awkwardness did not go unnoticed by Andros. 'This is all my fault too.' He thought miserably. Forcing himself to go up to her, he was relieved to note that she bore no resemblance to his girlfriend. "I want to apologize for my behavior earlier." Jamie tried to shake him off, but he continued unrelentless. "It was uncalled for, and on behalf of the entire Astro ranger team we are glad you here with us."  
  
Carlos wasn't the only one impressed with Andros's apology. Jamie accepted it without a second thought, imaging how hard it was for him to do so. TJ believed with Cassie helping Jamie ease into the routine, he knew it wouldn't be long until there was a sense of normalcy on the ship. Or at least he thought. He didn't know the undercurrent of thought that was racing through their leader's mind at that very moment.  
  
Andros didn't feel like eating. There was too much on his mind to be bothered with food. Excusing himself, he finally made his way up to the observatory. Carlos left not too long after, as he had his chores to catch up on.  
  
TJ noticed when Zhane offered to show Jamie the simudeck, and she accepted with no hesitation. Karone looked torn between wanting to go with them, and minding her own business. Cassie noticed too and managed to divert the Kerovian with a trip to the Surf Spot. He decided to go back to his room and study, knowing he had a lot of work to do if he intended to graduate high school.  
  
"So what do you guys do all day?" Jamie asked the silver ranger curiously. Zhane laughed. "Well most of the team goes to school, unless there's an attack." He informed her.  
  
"So high school students by day and power rangers by night." Jamie quipped and Zhane burst out in laughter.  
  
"Something like that." Was all that he managed to get out when Cassie and Karone returned. They were surprised to find Zhane and Jamie laughing in the holding bay. Karone was even more surprised at the feeling of jealousy that swelled within her at the sight of Zhane teasing their new teammate.  
  
"Are you still in school?" Cassie asked as the two girls entered the room. Jamie shook her head no. "No, I finished my final exams two days ago." She explained to them.  
  
"That must be nice." Cassie said enviously. "You don't have to hide from everyone, and explain away all your disappearances." She explained to the new girl.  
  
"So people don't know who you are?" She asked curiously, wondering if she would ever understand exactly what she got herself into.  
  
"The less they know, the better off they are." Zhane finally added in.  
  
"Rangers, it is getting late. You should be off to bed so you'll be ready for a full day of training tomorrow." Deca advised the quartet. Reluctantly the girls left the silver ranger behind as he watched them leave.  
  
Zhane was slightly surprised when Karone didn't linger behind to say goodnight. He didn't ponder on it long as his own exhaustion quickly fell over him and he headed to his quarters, not even bothering to check to see if Andros was in his room. If Zhane had checked he would have seen that his best friend's room was empty.  
  
Andros didn't know how long he had been sitting in the observatory, nor did he care. Deca didn't even bother him as debated back and forth over a decision he knew he had to make. And he was determined to make it. He couldn't go through one more day of indecision.  
  
He had to admit that Zhane was right. He knew why Ashley had left. And it wasn't because she wanted to. His heart broke at how hard it must have been for her, to go back to a place without her friends or the one she loved. He thought his decision was hard. Sounds of music disturbed his quiet environment and he looked up at Deca questioningly. He paused to listen and let the words answer the questions he had in his heart.  
  
It's not that I can't live without you  
  
It's just that I don't even want to try  
  
Every night I dream about you  
  
Ever since the day we said goodbye  
  
If I wasn't such a fool  
  
Right now I'd be holding you  
  
There's nothin' that I wouldn't do  
  
'Why can't I just do what my heart is telling me?' he groaned. 'It doesn't have to be this way. I could be holding you right now, should be holding you right now. What's keeping me here?' he questioned as he thought about his teammates and the mega ship.  
  
Baby if I only knew  
  
The words to say  
  
The road to take  
  
To find a way back to your heart  
  
What can I do  
  
To get to you  
  
And find a way back to your heart  
  
"Love is a choice, Andros. Think of it this way; are you willing to live without them for the rest of your life? Because that's what you're risking if you let them go." His mother's words shocked him as he continued to dwell on the words of the song playing in the background.  
  
I don't know how it got so crazy  
  
But I'll do anything to set things right  
  
Cuz your love is so amazing  
  
Baby you're the best thing in my life  
  
It hit him at that moment. He could live without being a ranger, but he absolutely couldn't live without Ashley. How did he think he could? A sense of peace came over him and he knew the debate was over. He realized what time it was and decided to wait until the morning to inform the others of his decision. And for once he didn't give a damn about the consequences. As he pulled the covers up, sleep came at once, and his dreams were filled with Ashley.  
  
Songs: Back to your heart-Backstreet Boys  
Have you ever? - Sclub 


	12. No more goodbyes

A/N : Timeline adjustment: two months after Ashley's departure. Otherwise this story will go on forever. ( Thanks for all the reviews!  
  
Chapter 12: No more goodbyes  
  
Andros woke up having slept better than he had in two months. Karone however, didn't fare as well.  
  
Andros was headed up to the weight room to work off some of his nervous energy. 'How am I going to tell Zhane, and Karone that I'm leaving?' he wondered as doubts started to creep in, but his heart wouldn't let them in. 'NO! I need Ashley, and I'm going to be with her.' He decided firmly, refusing to change his mind.  
  
The former princess of evil had spent all night walking the halls of the mega ship contemplating her relationship with Zhane. They had never officially said anything about dating, and she didn't really know where they stood on that issue. She wondered what he was thinking. 'What if he does like Jamie?' her heart feared that question, but her mind demanded that she think about it anyway. 'I wish Ashley were here, she would tell me what to do.' Karone sighed as she thought about her friend, wondering how she was doing. She couldn't believe Andros had held out for two months. She knew he was stubborn, but still... Maybe she should say something to him; she couldn't let him make the biggest mistake of his life, could she? She was so involved in her thoughts; she didn't hear the lift open besides her.  
  
As he stepped off the lift he was surprised to see another figure in the hallway. And especially more surprised when he discovered it was his sister.  
  
Since she was here, he might as well tell her. "Karone, can we talk?" He asked nervously. Karone studied her brother's face. Gone was the tension and anger. All she saw was the peace and joy that radiated from his face. And she knew.  
  
"You're leaving aren't you?" She replied rhetorically. Not that she could blame him, it was about time. He didn't seem too surprised that she knew. That has always had a special connection. "I have to..." he began, trying to convince her.  
  
"I know." Karone whispered. "I don't want to leave you." He continued and she smiled at her older brother and grabbed his hand. Without thinking she replied simply, "you won't have to-I'm coming with you." She said to his amazement. He squeezed her hand in response.  
  
"What are you doing up this early anyway?" He asked suddenly as they headed for breakfast.  
  
"Well I never went to sleep actually." She admitted, causing Andros to stop in his tracks to look at her. He cringed when he noticed the dark circles under her eyes and how sad she seemed. She didn't flinch in spite of his examination.  
  
"I'm sorry I haven't been here for you lately." He confessed, ashamed of his recent behavior. He shouldn't have let his feelings cloud his judgment.  
  
"It's ok, I'm just glad you finally came to your senses." She said, breaking the awkwardness. He chuckled in response. "Me too."  
  
"So what's going on?" he asked and waited patiently for her answer.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering, do you think Zhane likes Jamie?" her question shocked him. He paused a minute before answering honestly, "no. He's just doing what I should have done, made her feel like part of the team." Karone nodded in reluctant agreement, but still said nothing.  
  
Andros tried to reassure her. "Besides, he's crazy about you!" he exclaimed and Karone blushed. "You can tell by the way he looks at you. And he cares about what you think." She smiled at his statement.  
  
"How did we get so lucky?" She asked incredulously. Andros threw his arm around her as they continued on to breakfast. "I don't know, but I'm so glad we did." He remarked truthfully.  
  
"When are you going to tell the others?" She inquired seriously. "The sooner, the better I guess." Andros decided, wanting to delay the inevitable, but wanting to be with Ashley as soon as possible. Thoughts of her made him smile; he wondered how much she had changed in the last two months.  
  
"When are you going to tell Zhane?" She refused to meet his eyes and Andros had to ask her another question. "Karone, are you sure about this? You don't have to leave you know."  
  
"You're the only family I have. I just found you Andros; I'm not ready to lose you yet. Besides that baby is going to need an aunt to spoil it." He wasn't entirely convinced, but she was old enough to make her own decisions and didn't protest.  
  
By the time Andros and Karone made it to the synthetron, the others were already gathered and eating breakfast. Karone watched as Zhane helped Jamie with her dishes, and she had to fight the urge to get jealous. Andros squeezed her hand in reassurance as the two sat down, wanting to get this over with.  
  
"Nice of you to join us." Zhane commented as he and Jamie returned to their chairs. TJ, Carlos, and Cassie were still finishing breakfast.  
  
Andros decides not to wait any longer. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately." He began. His serious tone of voice caused TJ and Carlos to pause from their eating to look at their leader.  
  
"My whole life all I wanted to be was a ranger. And I never planned on stopping. But then I never planned on falling in love. Suddenly I realized that all of the things we were protecting was what I wanted-to be married and have a family. And this whole ranger thing is useless if I can't protect the one I love. When it comes down to it, Ashley's down there and I'm up here. And it sucks. I thought this would be the hardest decision I ever had to make, but it's really the easiest. The hardest decision I ever made was having to tell her goodbye. I'm tired of it. I'm not going to say goodbye ever again. I've decided to step down from the power rangers."  
  
Zhane was relieved. "Thank God." He declared with a sigh as he went to hug his best friend.  
  
"What about you Karone?" Jamie asked curiously. Zhane stopped in his tracks to gaze at the blonde haired Kerovian. He hadn't thought about the fact that she might leave too. He waited impatiently for her to reply. Zhane hoped she would stay with him, but he could understand her loyalty to her brother, no matter how much it hurt his heart.  
  
"Wherever Andros goes, I go." She stated simply, slipping her arm around her brother in an affectionate gesture.  
  
"Is this it?" Carlos demanded, breaking the quiet. "Is this the end of the Astro rangers?"  
  
"Well if it is, this is a good time as any." TJ said realistically. Annoyingly so, thought Carlos.  
  
"I mean school's over, and after summer we can go to college, pursue our dreams. We can't be rangers forever." The blue ranger continued reasonably.  
  
"I know." Carlos agreed reluctantly. "I just wish we had finished the job you know? There is still evil to be reckoned with."  
  
"There will always be evil to be reckoned with." Zhane surmised thoughtfully.  
  
"And you have done an exemplary job. I am proud to call you rangers. You have protected many planets throughout multiple galaxies and rescued people who aren't even your own. You have sacrificed greatly for the cause of good." Deca announced proudly.  
  
Andros stepped back into his leader role. "Just because I've decided to leave doesn't mean you all have to leave. Unless you want to that is. I just think we should all take some time and figure out what we all want." He advised them sensibly.  
  
TJ thought Andros wise. "We don't want to make any decisions emotionally." He agreed thoughtfully. The rest of the team agreed to spend the rest of the day and would give Deca a final answer at 8 o'clock the next morning.  
  
Cassie had to admit she was relieved. If Saryn couldn't be here with her, she would go there to him. She would have stayed if the whole team was, but now that at least three of them were gone, what was the point in staying? Ashley was her best friend, and she had left two months ago. 'I should have gone to visit her.' She thought sadly as she regretted that she had seemed too busy to do so.  
  
TJ was also relieved. He would have died for the cause of good and to protect earth and it's civilians, but now that he had a chance to pursue his own dreams and be alive to tell about it, he was excited. He hadn't told the others but he had applied to colleges, optimistic that he would be able to go. Like Cassie he would have stayed, but there seemed to be a change of guard. And he was ok with it.  
  
Carlos understood that they couldn't be rangers forever, but to have it suddenly end like this was something else entirely. He also imagined a huge final battle, going toe-to-toe with the enemy and destroying it. He had given everything up to be a ranger, so what was left to do back on earth?  
  
Zhane seemed unusually despondent so Andros went to see if he could cheer up his friend. "What's the matter?" he questioned as he sat down on the silver ranger's bed. "I thought we had something." He muttered sadly.  
  
"Who?" Andros asked in confusion. "Oh you and Karone?" He answered his own question. Zhane nodded. "I wish she had talked to me before deciding that's all."  
  
"You've got it bad." Andros observed with slightly amused look on his face. Zhane glared at his best friend. "Like you should talk." His sarcasm didn't faze him at all. He remembered how stubborn he'd been whenever someone tried to talk to him about Ashley.  
  
"You might not believe it, but I think she's jealous of how much time you've been spending with Jamie." He admitted to his clueless friend.  
  
"Karone, jealous?" He repeated incredulously. Andros smiled. "I told her it was my fault, if I had been doing my job you wouldn't have spent so much time with Jamie."  
  
"That's true." Zhane admitted cheerfully causing Andros to stare him down in disbelief. "Why don't you go talk to her?" He advised the silver ranger who gladly took his advice and hurried off to find Karone.  
  
Karone was sitting in the observation deck, watching the stars for what might be the last time this close. 'I wonder what earth will be like?' she thought, not anxious, as she feared she would be. Soon thoughts of a platinum blonde boy consumed her. 'I thought we had something. Maybe I just read into things too much.' She sighed as she tried to pry her mind away from such depressing thoughts. Just as she was convinced she had done so, in walked the very object of many of her thoughts.  
  
Zhane noticed how beautiful she looked as she sat still and smiled up at him. "Hey, I was wondering if we could talk." Karone couldn't believe it, he seemed nervous. "Sure." She replied kindly and waited for him to sit down.  
  
"I don't know what's going to happen after you leave, and I don't know if I can leave, but I need to tell you something." He admitted, surprising her with his serious tone of voice. She waited for him to continue. "I know it sounds crazy, but somehow along the way I fell in love with you."  
  
She stared at him in wonder as tears filled her eyes. She noticed that there were tears in his eyes too and gently laid a hand on his cheek to wipe them away. "Me too." She echoed back in a whisper. He finally let out the breath he had been holding. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I knew I had to before you left." She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.  
  
"What do we do now?" he worried as he whispered into her hair, delighted in the smell of her strawberry shampoo.  
  
"Come with me." She murmured suddenly as she pulled away to look at him and see his reaction.  
  
"I don't know Karone, let me think about it." He decided finally letting go of her hands and made his way out of the room. She nodded, knowing he had to make the decision, not her. Before he left though, he walked back to her and placed a kiss on her forehead. He didn't linger though, and this time he headed out of the observation room.  
  
"Can I really go with them?" Zhane debated for the hundredth time since leaving Karone, as he sat on the bridge that was familiar to him as anywhere else. For the first time in his life he was scared. He was scared that his whole life was wrapped up in Andros, and now Karone. He had always followed them, would now be any different? What would be like to have to get used to a whole new team? Again. Zhane wondered if he had the strength to do it all over again. He had found some of the most amazing friends he could imagine.  
  
In Ashley he had found someone who was as carefree and easy going as he. She always listened when he needed a rational ear, and she loved everyone with an ease that he envied. She walked with confidence, and fought with confidence. She was as a trustworthy person as he had ever known. Her best characteristic though, he thought with a smile, is that she fell in love with Andros and changed him forever. And for that he was grateful. She had finally done what no one else, including him could do.  
  
Cassie was as big a practical joker as he. The two of them often created havoc on the mega ship, driving Andros nuts. She had a gentle spirit and always sensed when someone else was in danger or just needed a friend to be there for them. She would give away everything she had to help you out. And she would go out of her way to do something for you. He could remember the times she had spent with him teaching him how to play basketball. Actually the funniest part was seeing the look on TJ's face when he finally beat him one-on-one.  
  
The blue ranger was driven in everything did, almost to the point of perfection. It had annoyed Zhane at first, but then he realized it was TJ's attention to detail and preparation that had saved them all time and time again. There was not anything that he wouldn't try and he and Zhane had spent many hours in competition, trying to out do each other. But in the end, he knew there was no one else he would rather fight next to than TJ.  
  
Only one remained. Carlos. From the moment he woke up after two years in a coma, he and the black ranger had hit it off. It was probably their sense of humor and out-going ness that drew them together. But it was Carlos loyalty that reminded him so much of himself. Just as Carlos was extremely loyal to the team, most of all Ashley, he was the same towards Andros. And when Andros and Ashley had finally gotten together and their relationships started to change, the two were there for each other to commiserate.  
  
Zhane smiled at all the memories. If he was honest, he never had a great drive to be a power ranger. He was always driven to follow Andros, what would he do without his best friend? A sense of peace settled over him as he made up his mind.  
  
"It's hard to find friends like those." Deca commented, jolting Zhane out of his revelry. The silver ranger looked up at the camera fondly. For once, he had to admit the computer was right. There would be no more goodbyes. 


	13. She think she needs me

She thinks she needs me

Sorry it's taken me so long to write this chapter, but I've been working full time and going to grad school. Plus I wasn't totally inspired and wanted it to be as good as the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy it. Please review! Thanks.

The next morning, six weary rangers reconvened in the holding bay. "It's unanimous isn't it?" TJ asked rhetorically, noting the expressions on his friend's faces.

Andros's face was calm and hopeful as he longed to do whatever it would take to get him back to Ashley. Cassie wore a dreamy look on her beautiful face, her thoughts preoccupied by a phantom. Karone kept careful watch over her brother and grabbed his hand in support. He squeezed it back in return, noticing when her blue eyes turned to Zhane. Zhane looked horrible, TJ thought. The decision had been hardest on the silver ranger. No one knew of the insecurities he had, he had always been a ranger, and assumed he would always be a ranger. Now his best friend and the girl he loved were moving to earth, and his four friends were moving on. Three friends he amended, Ashley had left a few months ago. TJ thought the mega ship a bit colder, less friendly without her warm, cheerful presence.

Though he had protested mightily at first, Carlos wasn't as appalled by the thought of retiring as he pretended. He had fond memories of high school, though the last two years were blurred by late nights on the mega ship and last minute pages by Deca that they were needed. He looked forward to a normal life, and leaving saving the world to the next group of rangers.

"We're retired." Carlos announced, saying the words aloud for the first time. Everyone was quiet as the news set in, a sense of peace coming over them. No more indecisions, no more interruptions, no more delays, no more risks.

"Am I interrupting?" Jamie asked quietly, peeking her head into the room. "No, come on in." Andros reassured the yellow ranger. She didn't have to ask, she knew they were retiring. As much as she liked the group of rangers, she never felt like she belonged. There was no way she could replace the former yellow space ranger, not that they expected her to, but there was no way of escaping how close the team had been, how much they loved Ashley. That's why she never doubted they would retire.

"Now what Deca?" Karone questioned the ship's computer anxiously. She knew there was still evil out there determined to finally defeat the power rangers and earth.

"I've selected a new group of rangers to follow in your enormous footsteps." Deca informed them gently. "Tony Parker, black ranger, lacrosse player at Lafontaine University." The computer reported as a picture flashed on the screen. A tall, muscular boy with light wavy hair visualized before them.

Deca continued on with his introductions. "Lauren Adkins, pink ranger, technology expert from Cal State." Cassie was intrigued by the person who would be replacing her. Lauren was tall, graceful and Hispanic. She wasn't as sad as she thought she would be, but thoughts of Phantom and spending time with him overshadowed the sadness.

"Marcus Thompson, blue ranger, wake boarder from Seaside." TJ noticed how different Marcus was from him, and he was reminded of how different every ranger was, and how every ranger team was unique. He felt confident in their ability to protect the earth.

"Nathan Livingston, red ranger, captain of the Northern California Volleyball Club team." Andros was secure in Deca's ability to choose another team worthy of the powers.

"When are they coming?" he asked the computer anxiously. The sooner the better in his opinion. "This afternoon." Deca's response startled them, they hadn't expected for it to happen so soon. "There's no rush for you to leave though." Deca assured them, knowing that the transition would inevitably be tough on all of them. "I hope you can make them feel at home."

TJ and Carlos hurried off to pack up the rest of their belongings, eager to return to Angel Grove; while Cassie went to phone Saryn.

"Why Zhane?" Karone questioned her boyfriend softly as soon as the others had left.

"I couldn't do this with another team." Zhane admitted. "Besides it would be nice to be in one place for awhile, other than the cyro lab." He quipped to lighten the mood. Karone smiled as he held open his arms and she climbed into his arms. Andros smiled at the sight of his sister and best friend so happy together. His heart reminded him of the woman he left behind and he wondered how she was doing. By now Ashley would be six months pregnant. He wasn't as nervous as he always thought he'd be, but that was because he never planned on Ashley and falling in love.

He knew it would be hard to resist her the moment he saw her. Shiny, brown curls framed her beautiful face; her hazel eyes lighting up every time she smiled, which was very often. Andros found himself falling for her at that moment. She was athletic and graceful, even in battle. The first time he knew he loved her was when she had gone over the railing when they discovered the megazords. He could've lost her then. 'I could lose her now too.' His mind screamed out. He hadn't seen her in two months and still had to go to KO-35 before he could see her. She always believed in him, always trusted him. She always said she needed him, how could he not have believed her?

_She thinks I walk on water  
_

_She thinks I hung the moon  
_

_She tells me every mornin'_

_They just don't make men like you  
_

_She thinks I've got it together  
_

_She swears I'm as tough as nails  
_

_But I don't have the heart to tell her  
_

_She don't know me that well_

Maybe he hadn't realized how much he needed her. But he does now. Every minute he has to spend without Ashley feels like an eternity. Thoughts of her were the only things that would get him through his trip to KO-35.

_She don't know how much I need her  
_

_She don't know I'd fall apart  
_

_Without her kiss_

_Without her touch  
_

_Without her faithful lovin' arms  
_

_She don't know that it's all about her  
_

_She don't know I can't live without her  
_

_She's my world she's my everything  
_

_And she thinks she needs me_

"Do you need anything from the store?" Tommy asked his wife as he prepared to go to the dojo for two morning classes. "No." She replied. "But could you stop in and see Ashley at the bookstore for me?"

"Will do." He answered, giving her a long kiss before leaving. One of the things he loved about Kim was her love and kindness towards others. Ashley had become a friend long before when she had become a power ranger. Truth be told, Tommy was just as concerned about her as his wife was.

Ashley was nervous as she waited for the receptionist to call her name. She hated having to call out of work again, but the pain was excruciating and she had no other choice. Luckily Chris was really understanding, but it didn't help her pay the endless bills that kept on piling up. Plus she needed to work full time hours to be eligible for health insurance, which she desperately needed.

"What brings you in Ashley?" Dr. Grant asked kindly. He had delivered both her and her older brother years ago.

"My hands and feet are swollen when I wake up in the morning. I'm still nauseous, almost to the point of dizziness without having morning sickness." She described her symptoms in full detail. She may be paranoid about going to the doctors every other week, but she was determined to take good care of herself and the baby. She kept herself so occupied that she didn't have time to worry about Andros, though she believed he would come back to her when he could.

"Any headaches?" he questioned the young mother. She nodded in response as he checked her vital signs." Your blood pressure is a bit higher than last time Ashley." Dr. Grant told her concerned, but not overly worried. "We'll check your protein levels in your urine and next visit we'll do an ultrasound."

"Did you get a chance to see Ashley?" Kim asked as soon as Tommy walked in the door for dinner. He smiled at her concern. "She wasn't working today. Chris said something about a doctor's appointment." He replied as he sat down at their table.

"Doctor's appointment?" Kim repeated curiously. "I thought she had one last week." She said aloud more to herself than to her husband as she worried about her new friend.

Tommy noticed her quietness. "Guess who I did see though?" Tommy spoke up in excitement. Kim couldn't stay somber at his tone of voice. "Who?" She indulged him as she too sat down with the food.

"TJ." He announced simply. "Why? Does Ashley know?" Kim demanded of her husband, very interested in this good news.

"All he said was that the team had retired." He answered quickly. "But I was thinking we should have a party for Ashley." He suggested slowly, knowing Kim wouldn't argue with his plan.

"Great idea hon." Kim cried enthusiastically. "There's so much to do. I've got to call Aisha." She declared as she raced out of the room in search of the phone. Tommy sighed as he watched her disappear, before quickly eating his dinner so he could see what his impulsive wife was up to.

A few days later…

After another grueling day of work, Ashley groaned as she poured her weary and achy body into the lone chair of her apartment. For the first time in a few months, she gave into the emotions that she had been trying to hold back. Sobs of tears burst forth as the most recent news from the doctor disturbed her. "Where are you Andros? Why aren't you here with me?" she cried out, her words echoing through the silence of the apartment. "I need you." She whispered in anguish as loneliness descended upon her.

Andros had just finished loading up the pod with supplies for his trip to KO-35. Cassie had left earlier that morning for Elisia to spend time with Saryn while Carlos and TJ had immediately gone back to earth. Karone and Zhane volunteered to help train the new team of rangers. He was looking forward to seeing his homeland again and beginning the rebuilding process. But he was more excited about seeing Ashley again.

She fell asleep in the large chair for a brief, restless nap when she was frightened awake by a sharp pain in her stomach that couldn't be ignored. "Aahh!" The scream couldn't be held in as she managed to pull herself out of the chair. "Why now?" She complained as she held her stomach and tried to crawl towards the telephone.

He was about to board the pod when a strange premonition came over him. 'Ashley.' He thought suddenly. It was the same feeling he got whenever he thought Zhane was in danger. He wanted to shake it off, but it kept getting stronger and stronger. His last trip to KO-35 almost cost him Ashley, and he refused to do it again. 'She needs me!' his heart cried out in worry as he ran back unto the mega ship.

"Deca, teleport me to Ashley." He commanded the computer, aborting his mission to KO-35. "Alert the others." Was his final instruction as he disappeared into a glitter of red.

He reappeared on a small street filled with apartment buildings. He quickly spotted her yellow cabriolet and without pausing entered into her apartment. "Ash?" he called out gently, worried about his girlfriend, hoping he was just being paranoid.

His fears weren't relieved when he spotted her a moment later on the floor. "Ashley!" He shouted to get her attention. She was lying on the floor, her arms wrapped around her stomach, her face twisted as if in tremendous pain. "Oh god." He whispered panicked.

"An ambulance is on the way." Another voice announced from inside the doorway. The calming voice of TJ helped Andros to calm Ashley down. "We're here baby, you're going to be okay." He whispered to her as he gathered her into his arms protectively. TJ came over and checked her pulse and blood pressure and was alarmed at its high rate. He kept his fears to himself, encouraging Andros to keep Ashley relaxed until they could get her to the hospital.

"How did you know?" She whispered back to him, not believing he was really here with her.

"I knew that you needed me." He replied simply as he tried to convince himself that she was okay and the baby was fine. 'This is all my fault.' He thought miserably. 'I should have been here.' He regretted not coming after her the moment she retired. He would not forgive himself if anything happened to her or the baby.

Instinctively Ashley knew Andros was hurting as much as she was, so she reached up to touch his face in reassurance, despite her own pain. He smiled at the small gesture and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. The next moment the ambulance arrived taking Ashley and Andros away, with TJ following close behind.

"What's going on TJ?" Carlos demanded as the former blue ranger entered the waiting room at Angel Grove Hospital. "Deca said it was an emergency, Ashley was in trouble." He explained further.

"I don't know much more than you. They just brought her in so they're going to do some tests." Was all that he could say as other rangers came pouring into the waiting room.

"We should have done more." Kim worried as she paced about the room." She hasn't been herself in a few weeks." She informed Ashley's teammates as Tommy tried to comfort his wife.

"What do you mean?" Carlos asked curiously. "She's been going to the doctor's frequently and she's always tired. It's been a hard pregnancy." Kim replied honestly.

"Well, Andros is here now, and that should help Ashley get back to good health." Cassie said optimistically.

"So TJ, have you thought about going into medicine?" Tommy asked, changing the subject to pass the time. "Only since I was six." TJ replied with a grin. "Actually, I'm going to Stanford in the fall for pre med."

"Wow! Congratulations Teej!" Cassie exclaimed happily. "I know you'll make a great doctor." She finished truthfully.

"What kind of doctor?" Adam questioned interestedly. "I think I want to do pediatrics." His answer didn't surprise Carlos who knew how much his teammate loved kids, and was really good with them.

"When did you find out?" He asked him. TJ debated about whether or not to tell them, but decided to be upfront about it. "February." The former blue astro ranger stated.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Carlos wondered in surprise.

"I was only going to go if all of us retired." TJ declared unflinchingly. "I'm not mad." Carlos defended himself at TJ's weariness to respond. "I just wonder how you kept a secret that long." He teased his friend. "Ashley didn't tell she was pregnant." TJ reminded him that he wasn't the only one with a secret. "What was I the only one without a secret?" He asked, trying to be offended. Cassie only gave him a friendly shove in response.

"How did you find out?" Kim asked incredulously. "Dark Spectre." TJ answered with a wry grin. "He had taken Ashley's brother Jeff to get Ashley to get Andros." He clarified, reading the confused looks on their faces.

Their easygoing banter revealed to Tommy and the other older rangers how tight the astro team was. He knew they had been through a lot together as a team, and that they could handle the situation with Ashley. He could read the worry on their faces, remembering how it matched his own when Kimberly had fallen on the balance beam and ended up in the hospital. After all the battles they had engaged in as power rangers, it was real life that had truly almost taken her away from him. His heart went out to Andros as he waited for some answers from the doctor.

The young man in red waited silently on a couch by the door, his elbows on his knees and head hanging down as if he were praying. There were no words his friends could say to reassure him until he could see Ashley for himself.

"Andros?" The doctor called out to the group of people waiting. "Ashley is asking for you." He explained and led the leader down the hallway to his girlfriend's, actually fiancée's room, but nobody knew about that yet. He wasn't certain that she hadn't changed her mind. He realized there was a lot of things to talk about that had happened over the past few months. He pushed those thoughts aside as the doctor opened the door to her room. Andros was immediately at her side; worry mounting as he saw the wires coming out of her body. "It's just to monitor the baby and the mother." Dr. Grant tried to relieve his anxiety. Andros felt the anxiety begin to fade but the guilt remained as he wondered if she would be here in the first place if he had come after her.

She was lying quietly, though he could sense the tension in her body as she waited for the doctor's report. "The results of the urine test you took the other day were 2 in protein, which is very high." Dr. Grant began gently. "It also mentions here you have been having headaches."

She nodded. "What does it mean?" She whispered as tears threatened to fill her eyes. Andros grabbed her hand and held it tight as they waited for the doctor to continue. "Put these symptoms together with your lightheadedness, and your swollenness, and abdominal pain; we can conclude that you are experiencing toxemia, or preeclampsia." He told the young couple.

"Oh my god." She exclaimed in shock. "Is it serious?" Andros had to know. He held his breath for the answer. He couldn't lose her.

"It is serious, but not life threatening." He reassured them. Toxemia is three times more likely in first time young mothers, and those whose mothers may have had it. I helped deliver you Ashley, and your brother too. Your mother was young when she had Jeff and she too had toxemia. So we really shouldn't have been surprised that this came up. I wish we had recognized the signs sooner." Dr. Grant lamented.

"However I'm going to have to put you on bed rest for the rest of your term so that it doesn't develop into eclampsia, which is very serious." He warned them kindly. "You should get some rest." He reminded his patient. "You can leave in the morning."

"Thank you." She replied softly as exhaustion overcame her. Andros quickly followed the doctor out. "Is there anything you're not telling us?" He demanded in his no-nonsense tone of voice. He wasn't good with dealing with emotions; he was much better with facts. He had to know the facts to make good decisions.

"Andros, she's going to be fine. I'll admit I was a bit worried before, but now that I see that you're back and can care for her, I feel much better about the whole situation."

Andros believed him and felt some of his tension ease away. He shook the doctor's hand and went back to Ashley's side. Dr. Grant grinned as he watched the young man reenter the room and went to inform their friends, seeing as Andros was too preoccupied to do so. He watched her silently, allowing her to rest, using the time to watch the woman who captured his heart completely and knowing he would tell her tomorrow how much he needs her. He promised himself that Ashley wouldn't go another day doubting his love for her, and he would do anything to convince her to marry him. He yawned as the day's events caught up to him and settled into the chair at her bedside, her hand loosely in his. Before closing his eyes, he placed a kiss on her lips, thanking the stars that she was all right, that their baby was all right. He was still amazed that they were going to have a baby, that he was going to be a father. He hadn't allowed himself to think about it, knowing it would interfere with his missions. But now he indulged himself in dreaming about the future.

_She don't know how much I need her  
_

_She don't know I'd fall apart  
_

_Without her kiss_

_Without her touch  
_

_Without her faithful lovin' arms  
_

_She don't know that its all about her  
_

_She don't know I cant live without her  
_

_She's my world she's my everything_

_And she thinks she needs me_

Only one more chapter to go! I promise to have it up ASAP. Please review!


	14. Token of Love

I need you

Chapter 14 – Token of love

Carlos was waiting for them when Andros pushed Ashley out of the hospital. Carefully he lifted her from the wheelchair and eased her into the back of the black SUV. "I'm not going to break." Ashley teased gently, repeating her same words when she had first told him she was pregnant, though she was touched by his tenderness.

"I'm not taking any chances." Andros stated firmly, echoing his response to her statement months ago. "I need you Ash, I'm never leaving you or this baby again." He promised her determined, leaning over to give her a quick kiss before settling in to the seat next to her. Carlos slowly pulled away.

"Where are we going?" Ashley asked suspiciously when they passed the street where she lived.

"Kim said she had a ton of stuff we can use, we just have to pick it up." Andros informed her. Ashley didn't say anything, just nodded her head and stared out the window. Andros took that time to observe her; he hoped she was as okay as she pretended to be. It stung him a little to know she wasn't being totally honest with him, but he knew he needed to earn her trust back, to prove to her he wasn't going to leave.

She was still a little pale, but defiantly looked a lot better than last night. The sight of her lying crumpled on the floor scared him out of his mind. He had prayed more than he ever had before that she and the baby were fine. When the doctor confirmed that all she needed was some bed rest, he vowed to not leave her. Now he only needed Ashley to believe that.

"Can't I stay here?" Ashley complained tiredly. She wasn't in the mood to see anyone yet. "Ash, I honestly don't know what we have for the baby, I really need your help in choosing what we need." Andros admitted slowly.

Ashley stared at him for a minute before relenting. He seemed to be trying; he seemed to be here for the long haul. She knew he deserved a second chance. "Alright." She conceded softly, allowing him to carefully lift her from the car. Instead of putting her down though, he kept her close to his chest as he held her tightly, breathing in the familiar vanilla scent of her hair.

Carlos recognized their need to be alone so he went to the house alone. "Surprise!" A chorus of voices rang out as soon as the door opened.

"Andros?" Ashley whispered when he didn't speak. He didn't move for a few minutes, treasuring the feel of her once again in his arms. "I'm sorry Ashley." He apologized sincerely, tears running off his face and unto hers. She was startled at the wetness on her cheeks, but she wasn't sure if they were his tears or her own.

"I love you, you know." She reminded him as she pulled her face away from his chest to finally look at him. "Good." He replied happily, "Because I love you." She smiled as he leaned down to get a long awaited kiss.

"Its just Carlos." TJ groaned when they realized it wasn't Ashley in the doorway. "What do you mean its just Carlos?" The former black ranger demanded, pretending to be offended.

"God Carlos, we give you one job and you can't handle it." Cassie teased him affectionately. "Look they needed some time. They'll be here in a minute." He remarked in a serious tone.

"Is everything okay?" Tommy asked concerned. Kim looked at him worried, maybe today was too soon to have a shower for Ashley, she had only gotten out of the hospital this morning after all.

"Everything's fine." Andros commented from the open doorway as he led Ashley in to a nearby chair. The group looked chagrined as the surprise was ruined, but Ashley didn't seem to care. "Thanks guys." She said with a huge smile.

The afternoon flew by as presents were handed to the mom-to-be. Andros never left her side long, getting her drinks when she needed, and bringing her some of her cravings. Luckily, Kim and Tommy still had some nachos and chocolate ice cream from when Kim had been pregnant.

"So when are you going to get engaged?" Zhane wondered cheerfully. "Actually, I think we already are." Andros announced. "At least I hope so." He said expectantly, looking at Ashley for confirmation. She nodded happily.

"What do you mean you already are?" TJ asked suspiciously. "We would have known." He added insulted, crossing his arms and waiting for an explanation.

"When?" Cassie demanded not seriously. "The morning after Andros came home and I told him I was pregnant." Ashley replied, smiling as she thought of that day.

"But then the quantrons attacked and Ashley was held captive by Darkonda, and we didn't get to talk about it, let alone tell anyone." Andros added.

"How did he ask?" Kim, the hopeless romantic, wanted to know. "He asked me to marry him in the bathroom after he came in and found me throwing up and I told him I was pregnant." Ashley enlightened her friends.

"How romantic." Zhane remarked sarcastically, leaning over to smack Andros on the arm.

"Hey, I see one more gift." Karone chirped as she reached under all the paper to find a small box. She handed it to Ashley, but Andros grabbed it first. Looking at her he could see the love shining in her eyes and it gave him the confidence he needed to explain.

"Ashley, I wanted to give you something special for you and our baby. A token of my love for you, and for our child." Andros started.

I will love you forever and I'm so glad we're together; because there's no one else I could imagine spending the rest of my life with, having many children with, and growing old with. I promise I will never leave you and will always do whatever it takes to make you happy, to protect you, and to cherish you for the rest of my life. I want us to be a family. Will you marry me?"

Silent gasps of surprise filled the room as they waited for her response. They didn't have to wait long. "Yes." Ashley replied simply, as a smile came over her face as Andros slipped the precious diamond on her finger. She let him draw her close for a hug and finally a long, satisfying kiss.

"That's better." Zhane muttered as the couple continued their embrace.

"Congratulations!" Cassie, Carlos, and the others all yelled when they finally broke apart. Their friends descended on them to give them hugs and good wishes.

"How about a date?" Zhane shouted over all the commotion. "What are you? The wedding planner?" Andros joked with a laugh.

"As soon as I fit into a wedding dress." Ashley commented with a laugh, as she stared at her expanding belly. "Once the doctor says you can." Andros amended tenderly, reminded of her still fragile condition. "Speaking of which, I think it's time to get you home." He decided thoughtfully. Ashley willingly let him ease her out of the chair as she thanked everyone for their thoughtfulness, and allowed Andros to escort her to the car.


	15. Hello baby

Chapter 15

Sorry it took so long to update, I just wanted it to be really good. Enjoy!

That night Andros couldn't sleep. He sat up watching over her as she slept, wondering how she ever managed to break through into his life.

"We'll find her I promise." Her voice startled him as he turned to face the woman who held the powers his sister should have had. Instead of anger though, he was surprised that he found himself believing her.

Day after day he found himself entranced by her more and more. And instead of turning away from Ashley, he found himself turning to her for the comfort and love that had been missing since Karone had disappeared and Zhane had almost died.

"I can't believe I let you go." He whispered in disbelief as he gently smoothed the brown curls away from her face. "But you came back." She replied softly, her hazel eyes fluttering open to gaze up at him.

"We'll talk in the morning. Go back to sleep." He told her, kissing her head gently.

"You need your rest too." Ashley insisted, pulling him down to lay with her. "I'm fine Andros." She persuaded him. "We're both fine." She added as she placed his hand on her belly. He was in awe as he felt his son or daughter kicking, finally relaxing enough to go to sleep, pulling Ashley in close to him. Andros slept better than they had in months.

When Andros awoke the next day, he rolled over to find an empty spot in bed where Ashley should have been. "Ash?" he called curiously, forcing his eyes open and himself to be alert. Just in case. He wasn't taking any chances with her well-being or the baby's.

"In the kitchen." Came her usual cheerful reply, drifting from down the hall.

He quickly got out of bed and found her at the stove keeping watch over the eggs. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?" He rebuked her tenderly, even as he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close and kissed her neck.

"Yeah, but I couldn't sleep." She grumbled without losing her smile. "This little one doesn't know that her mom needs to rest." Ashley commented rubbing her belly. She was entering her third trimester and things were just starting to get uncomfortable for Ashley. She was still getting used to her "new" body.

Andros turned Ashley around so he could speak with their child. "Listen kid." He spoke sternly, yet affectionately. "You need to take it easy on your mom, she needs her rest. She's had to work more than she should have to bring you into this world, and that's my fault. But I'm here now, and you and I have to take care of her. She's going to be the best mom in the world. So give her a break will ya?" He teased as he kissed her abdomen.

Ashley put her hands on his face and pulled him up to her for a kiss. "I love you." She told him.

The smell of burnt eggs brought them both back to the task at hand. " Look at what you made me do." Ashley complained as she quickly removed the pan from the burner and dumped the eggs into the garbage; holding her breath all the while.

"Can't help it if you find me distracting." Andros commented lightly as he set out plates for breakfast. He looked up when he noticed she hadn't moved from the garbage can yet. "Ash?" he asked concerned.

A soft sob caught his attention. "Ashley." He said worried, hating the fact that he made her cry. He gently took the pan from her hands and tossed it in the sink. "What's wrong?" He questioned as he pulled her into his arms.

"I just wanted… this… to be…perfect." She cried into his shoulder. "Breakfast?" He wondered confused. She couldn't find the words so she just nodded.

"It's okay Ash." Andros reassured her, rubbing her back to calm her down.

"If I can't make breakfast, how can I be a good mom?" She sobbed sadly.

"Ashley Grace Hammond." He startled her with her full name and his stern voice. His fingers gently tipped her chin up to make her look into his eyes. Ashley was shocked to see her pain mirrored in his eyes, only for different reasons.

"You're going to be a wonderful mother." He encouraged her. "And I'll be here every step of the way Ash." Andros reminded her. "You wouldn't have made it this far by yourself if you weren't going to be a great mom. I wish I had been around to help you." He added guiltily as he held her tightly in his arms.

"You're here now." She declared hopefully. "I am. And I'm never leaving you again." He determined strongly. "I love you." Andros punctuated his statement with a strong kiss.

"Why don't you sit down on the couch and I'll make breakfast." He decided as he led her out of the kitchen.

"Okay." She agreed finally. She hated to admit it but even standing up for the short amount of time had tired her. Her back was aching and her swollen feet were throbbing. "Two more months." She murmured to herself in encouragement. With a sigh she propped her feet up on the coffee table and tried to relax.

When Andros returned with breakfast ten minutes later, he was relieved to find her asleep. He lovingly took her feet and put them on the couch and covered her with a blanket.

He was reading the newspaper when it struck him how normal this routine was, and how he could get used to it. There used to be a time when he couldn't imagine living off the mega ship or KO-35, but here he was living on Earth with the woman he loved. And soon to be born child. He smiled at the thought of his new family. "Nothing will ever hurt them again." He swore to himself. "Especially not me." He promised.

Andros was starting to get worried. For the last two weeks Ashley had not been sleeping well, and it was affecting her already worn out emotions. Which was affecting his patience. He knew it wasn't her fault, but it was stressing him out. He looked over to where she was resting now. He was relieved to see how relaxed she seemed. All the tension and pain she carried when she was awake was gone. He really couldn't wait for the next two months to go by for Ashley's sake. She looked so beautiful, despite all her protests to the contrary. He was secretly hoping for a little girl, so she could be just like Ashley. It was funny to think that especially how much he had resented her when he met her.

"They're not asking for help but they need it." TJ declared firmly as the group of former Astro rangers met up at the Surf Spot. "They shouldn't have to do this alone." He concluded strongly.

"I haven't seen Ashley since her baby shower." Cassie complained, concerned about her best friend.

"We know that Andros is just trying to make up for the time he was away. He is feeling guilty, as if he had been here this wouldn't have happened." Zhane added, knowing his best friend all too well.

"So if they won't come to us, we'll go to them." Carlos decided simply. "Let's go." Cassie said, not wasting any time, leading the way out of the Surf Spot.

"You look like hell." Zhane confronted his best friend when he opened the door. He pushed his way past Andros and the others followed him.

"Where's Ashley?" Karone questioned her brother as she looked around the apartment. "She's sleeping, and I like to make sure she stays asleep." Andros insisted, blocking them from going any further into the apartment.

"You look like you need some more sleep." Carlos decided staring at the former red ranger. "Yeah, well Ashley hasn't slept well because of the pain. She can't have any medicine so we're using heating pads, ice packs, extra pillows, anything for her to be comfortable." He sighed as he collapsed into a kitchen chair with his friends pulling up chairs alongside.

"Is everything ok?" TJ asked seriously. "Yeah." Andros reassured them. "It's everything the doctor warned us about. "What can we do?" TJ offered with a determination that Andros couldn't refuse his help.

"I hate having to leave her alone everyday while I go to work." He admitted slowly. "I'm afraid that she's worrying that I'm not coming back."

"She'll realize that as each day goes by and you're still here." Cassie reminded him gently. "She's just being overly sensitive because she's really afraid for the baby's sake."

"That doesn't make me feel better." He grumbled. "It's just so stressful you know? I'm afraid the smallest thing will upset her which will upset the baby." He said as he hid his face in his hands. "I can't lose them. I just can't." Andros whispered heart broken.

"You need help." TJ declared logically.

"SO here we are." Zhane chimed in boldly. "Let us help you." He pleaded with his best friend to accept their offer. He was afraid that Andros's stubbornness and pride would prevent him from doing so.

"What do we do?" Andros asked in quiet desperation. He couldn't disagree with Carlos that the burden was starting to wear on him.

"Go to bed." Karone demanded, pulling her brother off the couch and giving him a gentle shove towards the stairs. "The rest of us will figure out a plan." Andros gave them a grateful look as he headed up to join Ashley.

Andros took a moment to gaze upon the woman he loved more than he could ever have imagined. Brown hair spilled over the pillow, the exhaustion she usually wore when she was awake was displaced by the glow of her pregnancy, and she looked as peaceful and content as he could remember.

He was still awed by the fact that she loved him. He couldn't get over his surprise when they had asked each other out, or when she first kissed him, or how she responded to his leaving the last time, which had resulted in the child she now carried. Through the years he became used to the faith she had in him, and it changed him. He started to hope that true love could be found and that it could last. That fact which was proven when Ashley had said yes to his proposal. And now that he had it, he wasn't about to let it go.

He climbed in the bed, careful not to disturb Ashley's well-needed rest, but was unsuccessful. However, she didn't wake up completely, she only shifted closer to him, laying her head on his chest as his arm slid down her back to hold her close to him. The beating of his heart reminding her that he was there and with that thought she fell back asleep.

Meanwhile downstairs, the other rangers rearranged schedules and checked calendars to make sure that Ashley and Andros had the support they needed during this trying time. TJ and Cassie ran to the grocery store while Carlos made a late lunch for the sleeping pair. Zhane and Karone caught up on the laundry and other obvious chores before setting the living room up for a romantic afternoon.

Ashley was the first to wake up. Like Andros had before, she took advantage of the still moment to look at him as he slept. Worry lines were etched on his face and she knew regretfully that she had put them there. He had tried everything to prove to her that wasn't leaving, but she had been too afraid to trust him again. She brushed her fingers across his forehead to brush away some stray hairs. Leaning down, she barely grazed the newly revealed skin with her lips.

'If you don't trust him, what's the point?' Her favorite piece of advice came to mind as she gazed down upon her fiancé. She sighed; as she knew that not only did she trust him completely, but also she loved him so much she couldn't imagine living without him. She realized guiltily that she had been testing him, and had been unfair. He had gone out of his way to prove to her that he loved her, and now it was her turn to return the favor.

As their friends bombarded them with their help, Ashley and Andros began to enjoy the anticipation of their little one. They spent hours pouring over baby names from the book Zhane had bought them, laughing when they noticed every name that started with a Z had been highlighted.

"Zahora?" Ashley read from the book giggling. Andros stopped looking at the book at the sound of her laughter. It had been so long since he had last heard Ashley laugh; it gave him a sense of relief. Day by day, the dark shadows under her eyes were slowly fading. Under Cassie and Karone's watchful eyes, she was resting most of they day and her ankles were becoming less swollen, even as her belly kept expanding. His hand dropped to feel the movement inside her belly. His eyes welled up in wonder at the life they had created. Ashley placed her hand on top of his; closing her eyes at the peaceful moment they shared. Andros tenderly kissed her head as she leaned into him as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "I can't wait for him or her to arrive." He whispered happily.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Ashley wondered curiously. With all their concerns and decisions, they hadn't really talked about the baby. She didn't really expect him to answer, waiting for an ambivalent answer like, 'it doesn't matter as long as they are healthy.'

She was surprised then by his honesty. "I want a little girl, laughing and smiling every day like her mama; even though she'll be as beautiful as her mother and I'll have to beat all the boys away." He said with a smile.

"What?" He asked suspiciously, as he watched her stare at him in what looked like disbelief.

"Nothing." She claimed smiling back at him. "I just thought you'd want a little boy that's all." She admitted sheepishly. "A little boy who is strong and sensitive that will help you relive your childhood. A boy who is as loyal and courageous as his father."

"Soon he or she will be here." Andros declared awestruck as they took in their new nursery. The Astro team had recreated it to look like a spaceship. Light blue walls brightened the room as the dark blue ceiling was covered in stars and moons and planets. Saucer shaped lights hung from the ceiling over the rocking chair Ashley had picked out months earlier. A spaceship mobile hung over the crib, a colorful quilt of black, pink, blue, silver, purple, red, and yellow lying in the empty bed waiting to cover a baby.

"Soon." Ashley agreed as the two stood in front of the crib wishing the days away until they would get to hold their newborn child.

"Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?" Carlos asked the group as they sat in the waiting room for Ashley to deliver her baby.

" I know Andros is hoping for a girl." Karone admitted before anyone else could answer.

"Either way, I think Zhane Jr., has a nice ring to it." The silver ranger declared with a smirk. "You would." Karone smacked his arm even as she laughed.

"No really, either way he'll happy." Zhane admitted seriously.

"And he'll be even happier when Ashley walks down the aisle to marry him." Cassie added from her seat between Carlos and TJ.

"I hope he or she comes soon, they've been in there forever!" complained Carlos impatiently, concern for his best friend written all over his face.

"First borns always take a long time." Cassie explained as she laid her hand on Carlos's shoulder to comfort him. "Besides, it's been a long nine months, what's a few more hours?" She reminded him, all of them, of the ordeal Ashley had gone through just to get to this point. She was just glad for Ashley's sake, that the birth of her baby would be the happy ending she had wished for. 'Or happy beginning.' The pink ranger amended at the life her two friends were starting together.

Casual conversations carried throughout the waiting room when the door opened and the group went quiet, waiting for the doctor to speak. The tension was palpable as they anxiously hoped for good news.

"It's a girl." Dr. Brown announced joyfully, eliciting cheers from the crowd of waiting rangers. "6 pounds 4 ounces. 18 inches." He described the newborn baby.

"Can we see her?" The new aunt asked excitedly. "Sure, follow me." Dr. Brown declared, leading them into the maternity ward after outfitting the group in scrubs.

They stopped outside the window to witness Andros sitting on the bed with Ashley, his arm around his fiancée and their new baby girl cradled in her arms. Tears flowed unapologetically down the faces of the new parents.

"She's beautiful." Zhane murmured as they gazed upon the quiet scene. Tucked inside a warm blanket, they could see a patch of light brown hair like Ashley's and hazel eyes like Andros's. Ten tiny fingers grabbed unto Ashley's gown as she gazed up at her mother.

"What's her name?" Carlos asked quietly as they entered the room. Andros looked up at his question and answered proudly, "Adrienne Renee."

"She's perfect." Ashley declared in amazement, grateful that her baby girl was healthy after all she had endured during Ashley's pregnancy. Ashley sobbed at the thought that something could have happened to their miracle daughter. Andros, sensing Ashley's thoughts and understanding her overwhelming emotions asked the others to leave.

"She's going to be fine Ash, we all will." Andros promised her, taking their new baby daughter into his arms for the first time. "I love you." He said to his two favorite girls, kissing Adrienne on her head and then reaching over to press his lips to Ashley's.

Well that's finished, I know it took a while, but I'm happy with the end results. I further endeavor to finish the rest of my unfinished stories asap. Thanks for all your reviews, hope you enjoyed this story.


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